Sales person demographics and statistics in the US
Sales person demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sales person demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sales person 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 people after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 2,308,424 sales people currently employed in the United States.
- 29.5% of all sales people are women, while 70.5% are men.
- The average sales person age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sales people is White (56.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.7%), Black or African American (10.7%) and Asian (7.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 84% of what men earned.
- 7% of all sales people are LGBT.
- Sales people are 65% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Sales person demographics by:
Sales person gender statistics
29.5% of sales people are women and 70.5% of sales people are men.
- Male, 70.5%
- Female, 29.5%
Sales person gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 70.5% |
| Female | 29.5% |
Sales person gender pay gap
Women earn 84¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,547
Female income
$40,794
Sales person gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sales person positions over time. Currently, 29.5% of sales people are female.
Sales person gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.72% | 32.28% |
| 2011 | 67.43% | 32.57% |
| 2012 | 68.06% | 31.94% |
| 2013 | 68.07% | 31.93% |
| 2014 | 67.24% | 32.76% |
| 2015 | 68.03% | 31.97% |
| 2016 | 68.56% | 31.44% |
| 2017 | 68.83% | 31.17% |
| 2018 | 69.30% | 30.70% |
| 2019 | 68.53% | 31.47% |
| 2020 | 69.76% | 30.24% |
| 2021 | 70.45% | 29.55% |
Sales person related jobs gender ratio
We compared sales people 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 Person | 70% | 30% |
| 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 person demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sales people is White, which makes up 56.2% of all sales people. Comparatively, 19.7% of sales people are Hispanic or Latino and 10.7% of sales people are Black or African American.
- White, 56.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.7%
- Black or African American, 10.7%
- Asian, 7.3%
- Unknown, 5.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Sales person race
| Sales person race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.7% |
| Black or African American | 10.7% |
| Asian | 7.3% |
| Unknown | 5.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Sales person race and ethnicity over time
See how sales person racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sales person race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.42% | 11.08% | 6.03% | 15.31% |
| 2011 | 62.65% | 12.10% | 6.20% | 16.00% |
| 2012 | 62.36% | 11.61% | 6.35% | 16.45% |
| 2013 | 61.36% | 12.12% | 6.41% | 16.80% |
| 2014 | 61.32% | 11.73% | 6.84% | 16.90% |
| 2015 | 60.78% | 11.77% | 6.61% | 17.54% |
| 2016 | 60.58% | 11.44% | 6.60% | 17.84% |
| 2017 | 60.10% | 11.00% | 7.03% | 18.16% |
| 2018 | 60.21% | 10.76% | 6.71% | 18.67% |
| 2019 | 60.18% | 10.72% | 6.78% | 18.55% |
| 2020 | 57.67% | 10.71% | 7.15% | 18.94% |
| 2021 | 56.19% | 10.68% | 7.31% | 19.74% |
Sales person wage gap by race
According to our data, white sales people have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown sales people have the lowest average salary at $46,373.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $46,373 |
| White | $50,620 |
| Black or African American | $46,724 |
| Asian | $49,590 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $49,575 |
Average sales person age
See how the average age of sales people varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sales person 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 person age breakdown
The average age of sales people is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the sales person population.
Sales person age breakdown
| Sales Person Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 18% |
| 20-30 years | 28% |
Sales person educational attainment
The most common degree for sales people is bachelor's degree, with 43% of sales people earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 27% and high school diploma degree at 17%.
- Bachelor's, 43%
- High School Diploma, 27%
- Associate, 17%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Sales people by degree level
| Sales person degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 43% |
| High School Diploma | 27% |
| Associate | 17% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Sales person jobs you might like
Sales person wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sales people with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $62,259 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sales people earn a median annual income of $60,499 compared to $44,280 for sales people with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $62,259 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $40,596 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $60,499 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,280 |
Sales person employment statistics
Most sales people work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where sales people work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sales people work.
Sales person jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 9% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 13% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 35% |
Sales person jobs by company type
Employees with the sales person job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sales people prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sales person jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 0% |
| Public | 34% |
| Private | 65% |
| Government | 1% |
Sales person jobs by industry
The most common industries for sales people are retail, real estate and automotive.
Sales person industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 39% |
| Fortune 500 | 15% |
| Real Estate | 7% |
| Automotive | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Sales person turnover and employment statistics
Sales person unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sales people between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sales person unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sales person 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 person tenure
The average sales person stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 115,505 sales people resumes in Zippia's database.
Sales person tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 36% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Sales person LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sales people 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Services Clerk | 3.66% | 149,892 |
| Parts Driver | 3.76% | 146,082 |
| Cafeteria Clerk | 5.05% | 67,247 |
| Sales Person | 7.10% | - |
Similar sales person jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Services Clerk | 3.66% | 149,892 |
| Parts Driver | 3.76% | 146,082 |
| Cafeteria Clerk | 5.05% | 67,247 |
Foreign languages spoken by sales people
The most common foreign language among sales people is Spanish at 55.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.9% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 55.2%
- French, 8.9%
- Chinese, 4.3%
- Arabic, 3.9%
- Mandarin, 3.7%
- Other, 24.0%
Sales person languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 55.2% |
| French | 8.9% |
| Chinese | 4.3% |
| Arabic | 3.9% |
| Mandarin | 3.7% |
| Other | 24.0% |
