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Job outlook for shoppers in the United States
Shopper job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected shopper job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 358,300 new jobs for shoppers are projected over the next decade.
Shopper salaries have increased -18% for shoppers in the last 5 years.
There are over 34,654 shoppers currently employed in the United States.
There are 420,518 active shopper job openings in the US.
The average shopper salary is $36,631.
Are shopper jobs in demand?
Shopper job and salary trends over time
Shopper jobs over time
Shopper job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34,654 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 22,517 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 17,479 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 14,066 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 13,797 | 0.00% |
Average shopper salary over time
Shopper salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,631 | $17.61 | --4.0% |
| 2024 | $38,154 | $18.34 | --4.2% |
| 2023 | $39,832 | $19.15 | --2.0% |
| 2022 | $40,636 | $19.54 | --8.9% |
| 2021 | $44,593 | $21.44 | +11.9% |
Shopper jobs by state
Most common states for shoppers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 379 | 28% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 274 | 28% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,763 | 26% |
| 4 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 354 | 26% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 2,173 | 24% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,568 | 24% |
| 7 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 809 | 23% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 242 | 23% |
| 9 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,244 | 22% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,240 | 22% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 137 | 22% |
| 12 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,725 | 21% |
| 13 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,468 | 21% |
| 14 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 2,049 | 21% |
| 15 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 1,078 | 21% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,600 | 20% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,702 | 20% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,161 | 20% |
| 19 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 632 | 20% |
| 20 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 853 | 19% |
Most common cities for shoppers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kailua | 20 | 52% | $39,260 |
| 2 | San Marcos | 15 | 24% | $37,908 |
| 3 | West Jordan | 18 | 16% | $38,171 |
| 4 | Murfreesboro | 18 | 14% | $32,391 |
| 5 | Oxnard | 27 | 13% | $39,069 |
| 6 | Green Bay | 14 | 13% | $42,521 |
| 7 | Thornton | 13 | 10% | $37,627 |
| 8 | Omaha | 16 | 4% | $39,669 |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu | 15 | 4% | $39,261 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | 18 | 2% | $35,776 |
| 11 | Columbus | 15 | 2% | $38,804 |
| 12 | Boston | 12 | 2% | $44,563 |
| 13 | San Antonio | 22 | 1% | $37,980 |
Shopper job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of shopper experts
Florida State University
Franklin and Marshall College
California State University Channel Islands
C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.
Assistant Department Chair and Executive Director, Center for Human Resource ManagementFlorida State University
Department of Management and the Center for Human Resource Management
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Shoppers?
C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.: As jobs become more complex and require additional knowledge and skills, more advanced qualifications are becoming more the norm. However, this will largely be determined by the type of work a job prospect is seeking. Professional and technical positions often require advanced certifications, licenses, or degrees in certain areas such as a certified public accountant or a certified professional in human resources or a course in SQL. In order to be competitive in a post-pandemic job market, job seekers should research the field(s) of interest to understand what would be considered minimum requirements for a job to evaluate if they should invest in additional licensure or preparation.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Shoppers?
Cynthia Krom: Professional certifications matter. If your profession has a certification, you need to have that certification to be competitive in this new world. So, a public accountant needs to have a CPA, and a corporate accountant needs to have their CMA. A fraud examiner needs their CFE. Find out what is available in your profession and take whatever courses or exams are needed to be at the top of your game, because everyone else will.
We don't really know what will be happening with professional licenses with remote work. A psychotherapist may be licensed in New York, but remotely treating a client in New Mexico. Technically, they probably need a license in New Mexico. But who will control that? Will it just be the professional responsibility of the therapist to only practice where licensed? Will their malpractice insurance only cover them if the client is where they are licensed? What about a physician operating on someone a thousand miles away using robotics?
In terms of courses not related to professional certification or licensure, technology is where it is at. First and foremost, polish your Zoom skills. Zoom is now your face-to-face workplace and you need to be a pro. YouTube has great videos about lighting for Zoom, even with reflective eyeglasses. Perhaps your IT department is able to help with connectivity issues and learning remote technologies. And, as we have all recently seen, you need to learn how to turn off filters that make you look like a kitten! For nearly every field, you have to know Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) or similar programs. You need to know how to work collaboratively on projects through things like Google Drive. If you are not fluent in the basics, you are showing up for a horse race with a little pony.
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.
Associate Professor of MarketingCalifornia State University Channel Islands
Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics
What's a good job out of college for Shoppers?
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.: I think a description of a "good" job opportunity is dependent on so many factors, almost all subjective. What I recommend my students usually, is that they try different things before graduation and find something that makes them feel a purpose other than (and in addition to) making ends meet. For this reason we started a program on our campus where students are hired to help non-profits and small businesses in our area of service. In this program, students get to gain and practice skills that can help them succeed in a corporate or freelance capacity. The students get to experiment without fear of losing a job and find what they would like their entry level positions to look like. While doing this they also help organizations and individuals who have the need but not the resources to get the services from professionals.