Sales clerk demographics and statistics in the US
Sales clerk demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sales clerk demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sales clerk estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about sales clerks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 2,328,681 sales clerks currently employed in the United States.
- 64.7% of all sales clerks are women, while 35.3% are men.
- The average sales clerk age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sales clerks is White (57.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.7%), Black or African American (10.2%) and Asian (6.8%).
- Sales clerks are most in-demand in Mobile, AL.
- The energy industry is the highest-paying for sales clerks.
- Washington, DC pays an annual average wage of $32,538, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women sales clerks earned 93% of what men earned.
- 7% of all sales clerks are LGBT.
- New Hampshire is the best state for sales clerks to live.
- Sales clerks are 64% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Sales clerk demographics by:
Sales clerk gender statistics
64.7% of sales clerks are women and 35.3% of sales clerks are men.
- Female, 64.7%
- Male, 35.3%
Sales clerk gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 64.7% |
| Male | 35.3% |
Sales clerk gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$27,281
Female income
$25,436
Sales clerk gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sales clerk positions over time. Currently, 64.7% of sales clerks are female.
Sales clerk gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 32.41% | 67.59% |
| 2011 | 32.12% | 67.88% |
| 2012 | 32.75% | 67.25% |
| 2013 | 32.76% | 67.24% |
| 2014 | 31.93% | 68.07% |
| 2015 | 32.72% | 67.28% |
| 2016 | 33.26% | 66.74% |
| 2017 | 33.54% | 66.46% |
| 2018 | 34.03% | 65.97% |
| 2019 | 33.24% | 66.76% |
| 2020 | 34.52% | 65.48% |
| 2021 | 35.28% | 64.72% |
Sales clerk related jobs gender ratio
We compared sales clerks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, parts counterman and lumber associate have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| BRA Specialist | 6% | 94% |
| Clinique Consultant | 6% | 94% |
| Beauty Consultant | 6% | 94% |
| Sales Clerk | 35% | 65% |
| Cart Associate | 94% | 6% |
| Lumber Associate | 95% | 5% |
| Parts Counterman | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Sales clerk demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sales clerks is White, which makes up 57.6% of all sales clerks. Comparatively, 19.7% of sales clerks are Hispanic or Latino and 10.2% of sales clerks are Black or African American.
- White, 57.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.7%
- Black or African American, 10.2%
- Asian, 6.8%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Sales clerk race
| Sales clerk race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.7% |
| Black or African American | 10.2% |
| Asian | 6.8% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Sales clerk race and ethnicity over time
See how sales clerk racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sales clerk race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.85% | 10.60% | 5.56% | 15.28% |
| 2011 | 64.08% | 11.62% | 5.73% | 15.96% |
| 2012 | 63.79% | 11.13% | 5.89% | 16.42% |
| 2013 | 62.80% | 11.64% | 5.94% | 16.76% |
| 2014 | 62.75% | 11.25% | 6.37% | 16.87% |
| 2015 | 62.21% | 11.29% | 6.15% | 17.50% |
| 2016 | 62.01% | 10.96% | 6.13% | 17.80% |
| 2017 | 61.53% | 10.52% | 6.56% | 18.13% |
| 2018 | 61.64% | 10.28% | 6.24% | 18.63% |
| 2019 | 61.62% | 10.24% | 6.31% | 18.51% |
| 2020 | 59.11% | 10.23% | 6.68% | 18.91% |
| 2021 | 57.62% | 10.20% | 6.85% | 19.70% |
Sales clerk wage gap by race
According to our data, white sales clerks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown sales clerks have the lowest average salary at $26,783.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $26,783 |
| White | $27,744 |
| Black or African American | $26,864 |
| Asian | $27,515 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $27,512 |
Average sales clerk age
See how the average age of sales clerks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sales clerk age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 32.5 | 38 |
| Unknown | 37 | 31.5 |
| Asian | 40 | 47 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30 | 31 |
| White | 43 | 43 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 36.5 | 39 |
Sales clerk age breakdown
The average age of sales clerks is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the sales clerk population.
Sales clerk age breakdown
| Sales Clerk Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 18% |
| 20-30 years | 28% |
Sales clerk educational attainment
The most common degree for sales clerks is bachelor's degree, with 34% of sales clerks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 32% and high school diploma degree at 21%.
- Bachelor's, 34%
- High School Diploma, 32%
- Associate, 21%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Sales clerks by degree level
| Sales clerk degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 34% |
| High School Diploma | 32% |
| Associate | 21% |
| Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Sales clerk jobs you might like
Sales clerk wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sales clerks with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $30,153 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sales clerks earn a median annual income of $29,807 compared to $26,289 for sales clerks with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $30,153 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,386 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $29,807 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $26,289 |
Sales clerk employment statistics
Most sales clerks work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where sales clerks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sales clerks work.
Sales clerk jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 6% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 13% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 42% |
Sales clerk jobs by company type
Employees with the sales clerk job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sales clerks prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sales clerk jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 34% |
| Private | 64% |
| Government | 1% |
Sales clerk jobs by industry
The most common industries for sales clerks are retail, hospitality and manufacturing.
Sales clerk industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 52% |
| Fortune 500 | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Hospitality | 6% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Sales clerk turnover and employment statistics
Sales clerk unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sales clerks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sales clerk unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sales clerk unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.74% |
| 2011 | 10.94% |
| 2012 | 9.82% |
| 2013 | 8.89% |
| 2014 | 7.55% |
| 2015 | 7.02% |
| 2016 | 6.27% |
| 2017 | 6.04% |
| 2018 | 5.79% |
| 2019 | 5.48% |
| 2020 | 8.30% |
| 2021 | 8.88% |
Average sales clerk tenure
The average sales clerk stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 39,561 sales clerks resumes in Zippia's database.
Sales clerk tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 36% |
| 1-2 years | 37% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 8% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Sales clerk LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sales clerks that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Hand Counter | 3.66% | 12,976 |
| Parts Counterman | 3.76% | 23,083 |
| Sales Store Checker | 5.05% | 27,815 |
| Sales Clerk | 7.10% | - |
Similar sales clerk jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Hand Counter | 3.66% | 12,976 |
| Parts Counterman | 3.76% | 23,083 |
| Sales Store Checker | 5.05% | 27,815 |
Foreign languages spoken by sales clerks
The most common foreign language among sales clerks is Spanish at 63.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.7% and German is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 63.6%
- French, 8.7%
- German, 4.3%
- Japanese, 3.7%
- Chinese, 2.9%
- Other, 16.8%
Sales clerk languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 63.6% |
| French | 8.7% |
| German | 4.3% |
| Japanese | 3.7% |
| Chinese | 2.9% |
| Other | 16.8% |
