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Job outlook for store directors in the United States
Store director job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected store director job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 189,200 new jobs for store directors are projected over the next decade.
Store director salaries have increased 4% for store directors in the last 5 years.
There are over 425,822 store directors currently employed in the United States.
There are 225,468 active store director job openings in the US.
The average store director salary is $56,596.
Are store director jobs in demand?
Store director job and salary trends over time
Store director jobs over time
Store director job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 425,822 | 0.13% |
| 2020 | 335,121 | 0.10% |
| 2019 | 342,793 | 0.10% |
| 2018 | 327,105 | 0.10% |
| 2017 | 316,111 | 0.10% |
Average store director salary over time
Store director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $56,596 | $27.21 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | $55,029 | $26.46 | --0.1% |
| 2024 | $55,111 | $26.50 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $54,827 | $26.36 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $54,226 | $26.07 | +1.6% |
Store director jobs by state
Most common states for store directors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 375 | 54% |
| 2 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 1,153 | 38% |
| 3 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 1,121 | 36% |
| 4 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 269 | 36% |
| 5 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,480 | 30% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 407 | 30% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,000 | 29% |
| 8 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 848 | 28% |
| 9 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 827 | 28% |
| 10 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 242 | 28% |
| 11 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 1,280 | 27% |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 1,045 | 27% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,202 | 26% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,477 | 26% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 812 | 26% |
| 16 | Delaware | 961,939 | 249 | 26% |
| 17 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 514 | 25% |
| 18 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 147 | 25% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,363 | 24% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 176 | 24% |
Most common cities for store directors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roseville | 2 | 2% | $63,610 |
| 2 | Albany | 1 | 2% | $44,555 |
| 3 | Akron | 2 | 1% | $51,661 |
| 4 | Elk Grove | 2 | 1% | $63,765 |
| 5 | Allentown | 1 | 1% | $53,815 |
| 6 | Ann Arbor | 1 | 1% | $48,100 |
| 7 | Apple Valley | 1 | 1% | $63,463 |
| 8 | Bellingham | 1 | 1% | $58,852 |
| 9 | Bend | 1 | 1% | $44,403 |
| 10 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $63,540 |
| 11 | San Jose | 2 | 0% | $64,209 |
| 12 | Anaheim | 1 | 0% | $63,386 |
| 13 | Bakersfield | 1 | 0% | $63,824 |
| 14 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $58,752 |
Store Director job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of store director experts
University of Alaska Fairbanks
San Francisco State University
Sacred Heart University
Indiana University Bloomington
Goldey-Beacom College
Centenary College of Louisiana
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
What general advice would you give to a Store Director?
Jaunelle Celaire: Leadership - the world needs more of these; the ability to lead, craft and grow. Digital literacy - this world is definitely turning digital and virtual is the new trend. Emotional intelligence - there is a vast number of personalities in our world today; individuals grow and it is our job to stay emotionally connected, so we can operate more effectively.
What Store Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jaunelle Celaire: Never stop learning! This may consist of going back to school, earning new certifications in your field of study, attending conferences and seminars, and making sure that your time management is always at its finest level of excellence.
What will help Store Directors increase their earning potential?
Jaunelle Celaire: 2. Leadership - the world needs more of these; the ability to lead, craft and grow. Digital literacy - this world is definitely turning digital and virtual is the new trend. Emotional intelligence - there is a vast number of personalities in our world today; individuals grow and it is our job to stay emotionally connected, so we can operate more effectively.
Bruce Heiman Ph.D.
Professor of International BusinessSan Francisco State University
Department of International Business
What soft skills should all Store Directors possess?
Bruce Heiman Ph.D.: -Languages beyond English (fluency in written and oral)
-Ability to work collegially in a diverse cultural setting
-Ability to identify good problems on which to work in a competent manner
-Ability/flexibility to interact/work productively with people who have serious constraints on their time owing to other work or personal commitments/issues
-Some of my answers to Q1 above would also apply here
What technical skills for a Store Director stand out to employers?
Keith Hassell: Employers are increasingly looking for applied skillsets and additional certifications to set a candidate apart. Sacred Heart University has recently launched a remote work certification, which houses three modules - focusing on the remote worker, the remote team and the remote leader, providing the tools and resources to comfortably leverage and utilize virtual platforms at various organizations. Additional specialized training, certifications and more are great selling tools pending on the specific area of interest. Certifications are common in areas such as project management, sales, IT/network/software, Google application and more. The candidate needs to think, "What can I do that is beyond my coursework to show I am passionate about my field? How do I make myself stand out?" Certifications is an attainable way to do this.
In addition, soft skills continue to be equally important in today's job market. NACE (the National Association of Colleges and Employers) identified seven core competencies that employers seek from entry level candidates which include critical thinking/problem solving, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work ethic, career management and global/intercultural fluency.
What technical skills for a Store Director stand out to employers?
Kerem Cakirer Ph.D.: The labor market is not so different than any market with demand and supply. The demand from employers will shift towards more technical (software, coding, computer language programming) and analytical (problem solving on your own) skills than social skills overall. Being capable of writing or/and understanding computer languages will be a must have skill in the very near future. Communication skills over online platforms or social media platforms will play a huge role when employers are making a hiring decision. The data supports that businesses are using more online platforms than ever. I am projecting that there won't be any business travels or on-site client meetings in the near future. Exceling in different types of software, and being able to learn a new one easily, will become more important than people skills in businesses. Employers will seek for candidates, who are capable of achieving tasks in a more off-site (outside the office) environment through a deadline, and who can utilize multiple different softwares at their hand to solve business problems. As far as how the hiring process would go, we might see employers using artificial intelligence to make hiring decisions over some online platform soon. Essentially, this means that the candidates will be assessed with a more quantitative measure than ever. An evaluation measure by the AI, which will take soft and digital skills more into account.My final words are: The pandemic is still a burden to the humankind but the world will prevail. This year could be the inception of a new era in terms of how businesses run.
What type of skills will young Store Directors need?
Dr. Nicole Evans: Graduates need to demonstrate that they have soft skills when they enter the workforce. It is imperative that the soft skills fit the job description and are an obvious advantage in that role. Employers seek candidates that are personable, good communicators, clear thinkers, organized, empathetic, confident, and positive-just to name a few.
Dr. Barbara Davis
William J. Atkins DeanCentenary College of Louisiana
Frost School of Business
What type of skills will young Store Directors need?
Dr. Barbara Davis: Analysis - Graduates will need to analyze situations, identify the best choices, and seek solutions with the highest benefit to the organization.
Creativity - Graduates will need to possess critical and creative thinking skills.
Flexibility - Graduates must remain flexible to succeed in a highly changing environment.
What experience really stands out on Store Director resumes?
Dr. Barbara Davis: Graduates participating in internships related to their areas of interest. Internships spanning more than one semester at the same firm stand out as well.
What skills stand out on Store Director resumes?
Dr. Timothy Edwards: Writing and research skills. Analytical and critical thinking skills. Technical skills such as web design, graphic design, audio and video production skills. Employers are interested in potential employees knowledge, intelligence and skills.