Average Sales Associate Salary

No, sales associates do not get paid well. The average hourly pay for a sales associate is $11.19. In fact, over 28% of sales associates in the United States think their salaries are enough for the cost of living in their area.

That's not completely true. However, some sales associates have the potential to earn a lot more. A commission sales job, for example, gives you both a base salary and a commission. An average commissioned sales associate, for instance, can earn more than $25.83 an hour or $53,725 a year. Not too shabby.

Sales associates don't make a base salary, but some can earn good money in commissions. A typical commission rate for sales starts at about 5% -- though the average in sales is usually between 20 - 30%. In some cases, companies can offer as much as 40 - 50% commission.

Some of the common commissioned sales associate jobs are retail sales associate, real estate agent (requires additional training), and direct sales representative who meets customers face to face (e.g., door to door salesperson)

Other factors such as what city you live in and state, as well as the company you work for, can all have an impact on how much a sales associate can earn.

A sales associate usually makes an average annual salary of $32,373, which breaks down to $15.56 an hour. However, what a sales associate can earn varies greatly -- anywhere from upwards of $16,000 to $63,000 a year. This means that the top-earning sales associates make $47,000 more than the lowest-earning ones.

However, they have the potential to make a lot more. A commission sales job offers a base and a commission, which is the best of both worlds. An average commissioned sales associate, for instance, can earn $25.83 an hour or $53,725 a year.

There are several different types of commissions, but the most common form is the straight commission, which pays the sales associate a flat percentage of each sale they make. Other retail businesses pay their employees a sales commission to incentivize their employees to generate more sales to reward associates who make high sales.

The typical commission rate for sales starts at about 5%, which usually applies to sales teams that have a generous base pay. The average in sales, though, is usually between 20 - 30%. However, some companies will pay as high as 40 - 50% in commission.

Other factors that impact how much a sales associate can make include the number of years of experience on the job.

Associates Average Salary Years of Experience:

• An entry-level position starts at $10.47

• Early career (One to four years) averages $11,05 / hour

• Mid-level career (five to nine years) averages $11.82 / hour

• Experienced (ten to 19 years) averages $12.67 / hour

• Senior position (20 plus years) averages $13.16 / hour

The average base salary for a sales job is $38,375 a year. However, there are many fluctuations in annual earning among sales associates, with salaries as high as $58,500 and low as $20,000.

Many factors impact the earning of a sales associate, including the number of years of experience and type of sales associate, with most positions and greater earning potential based on a greater specialization and number of years of experience.

Examples of Different Company Pay rates for Sales Associate:

• The Home Depot Inc. - $12.18 / hour

• Macy's Inc - $12.15 / hour

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc - $11.47 / hour

• Dollar General Corporation - $8.58 / hour

• JCPenney - $11.47 / hour

Retail Hourly Wage Based on Years of Experience:

• Entry-level ( less than one year) - average $12.64 per hour

• Junior Level - ( one to two years) - averages $12.20 per hour

• Mid Level - ( three to five years) - average $13.86 per hour

• Experienced - ( six to nine years) - average $15.23 per hour

• Senior - ( more than ten years) average $15.77 per hour

Ten Earning Jobs By Type of Sales Associate:

• Associate Medical Sales Representative - $38.98 / hour or $81,071 / year

• Entry Level Insurance Sales Representative - $37.26 / hour or $77,500 / year

• Associate Surgical Sales Representative -$35.98 / hour or $74,828 / year

• Home Sales - $35.25 / hour or $73,320 / year

• Sales Opportunity - $33.85 / hour or $70,401 / year

Top Ten Cities Where Sales Associates Earn The Most:

• New York City, NY - $21.91 / hour or $45,569 / year

• San Mateo, CA - $21.47 / hour or $44,654 / year

• Juneau, AK - $20.88 / hour $43,439 / year

• Boston, MA - $20.87 / hour or $43,410

• Berkeley, CA - $20.65 / hour or $42,950

• Santa Monica, CA - $20.62 / hour or $42,890 / year

• Daly City, CA - $20.59 / hour or $42,829 / year

• Quincy, MA - $20.57/ hour or $42,781 / year

• Renton, WA - $20.53 / hour or $42,706 / year

• Minneapolis, MN - $20.26 / hour or $42,137 / year

The lowest salaries relative to the national average include: San Antonio, Texas (8.8% less), Houston, Texas (7.6% less), and Miami, Florida (3.6% less).

A good starting salary for a retail sales associate is $15 per hour. A seasonal sales associate can expect to make around $14.38 per hour.

Best Buy starts sales associates at $16.00 an hour, which is higher than the national average ($31,200 per year). Nordstrom's sales associates earn $15 per hour ($31,200 per year).

Factors such as the number of years of experience and location impact how much a sales associate can earn.

Retail Sales Associate based on Location:

• New York, NY - averages $17.51 per hour

• Los Angeles, CA - averages $16.67 per hour

• Chicago, IL - averages $16.14 per hour

• Philadelphia, PA - averages $14.12 per hour

• Atlanta, GA - averages $14.11 per hour

• Phoenix, AZ - averages $14.01 per hour

• Las Vegas, NV - averages $13.53 per hour

• Orlando, FL - averages $12.80 per hour