Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers
Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers (SOC 41-9091) earn a median $41,380 a year ($19.89 an hour) in the United States, with 2,760 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Missouri.
What door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers do
Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers sell goods or services at people's doors or on the street. They explain products or services and prices, show how products are used, answer questions about features and benefits, and give out samples or literature. They build prospect lists, write down or enter orders, and deliver merchandise and collect payment. Some organize buying parties and ask hosts to sponsor them as a way of selling. The job means moving among potential customers, and sellers may travel on foot, by truck, car, or bicycle to deliver or sell. Titles listed under the code include balloon seller, beauty consultant, book agent, and book canvasser. What distinguishes the code from other sales jobs is where the selling happens, at the customer's door or in a public place, rather than in a store, an office, or over the telephone.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the usual education level (about 57 percent).
Also called: Balloon Seller, Beauty Consultant, Beauty Counselor, Book Agent, Book Canvasser.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.39 | $17.54 | $19.89 | $22.78 | $24.74 | $21.08 | 2,760 |
| Annual | $32,010 | $36,470 | $41,380 | $47,390 | $51,470 | $43,850 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $20.63 | $22.13 | $22.30 | $39.56 | $54.72 | $31.54 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $42,910 | $46,040 | $46,380 | $82,270 | $113,810 | $65,600 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.74 | $17.15 | $22.13 | $28.38 | $35.26 | $24.34 | 160 | 0.01 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $30,670 | $35,670 | $46,040 | $59,030 | $73,340 | $50,630 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $16.72 | $17.66 | $21.33 | $21.33 | $21.33 | $19.81 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $34,770 | $36,730 | $44,370 | $44,370 | $44,370 | $41,200 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $10.52 | $12.49 | $19.17 | $21.20 | $22.12 | $18.08 | 200 | 0.06 | 3.54 |
| Annual | $21,890 | $25,980 | $39,870 | $44,100 | $46,010 | $37,600 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.87 | $16.87 | $19.00 | $22.14 | $30.21 | $20.82 | 560 | 0.03 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $35,090 | $35,090 | $39,520 | $46,050 | $62,830 | $43,310 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.87 | $16.87 | $19.00 | $22.14 | $30.21 | $20.82 | 560 | 0.03 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $35,090 | $35,090 | $39,520 | $46,050 | $62,830 | $43,310 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $10.52 | $12.49 | $19.17 | $21.20 | $22.12 | $18.08 | 200 | 0.06 | 3.54 |
| Annual | $21,890 | $25,980 | $39,870 | $44,100 | $46,010 | $37,600 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.74 | $17.15 | $22.13 | $28.38 | $35.26 | $24.34 | 160 | 0.01 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $30,670 | $35,670 | $46,040 | $59,030 | $73,340 | $50,630 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $17.39 | $17.97 | $17.97 | $19.15 | $21.30 | $18.76 | 140 | 0.03 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $36,180 | $37,370 | $37,370 | $39,830 | $44,290 | $39,020 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $14.54 | $14.85 | $15.54 | $17.62 | $18.20 | $16.56 | 100 | 0.03 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $30,250 | $30,880 | $32,320 | $36,640 | $37,850 | $34,430 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $15.21 | $17.99 | $23.72 | $31.84 | $31.84 | $24.96 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $31,640 | $37,420 | $49,330 | $66,230 | $66,230 | $51,910 | ||||
| Kansas City, MO-KS | Hourly | $8.75 | $20.62 | $22.13 | $30.76 | $49.56 | $26.75 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $18,190 | $42,880 | $46,040 | $63,990 | $103,070 | $55,630 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.66 | $21.33 | $21.33 | $38.10 | $38.10 | $30.57 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $36,730 | $44,370 | $44,370 | $79,250 | $79,250 | $63,580 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $19.00 | $19.00 | $20.63 | $20.63 | $21.08 | $20.20 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $39,520 | $39,520 | $42,910 | $42,910 | $43,840 | $42,010 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $17.61 | $19.10 | $19.22 | $19.22 | $21.41 | $19.67 | 90 | 0.08 | 4.40 |
| Annual | $36,620 | $39,720 | $39,970 | $39,970 | $44,540 | $40,910 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.87 | $16.87 | $16.87 | $20.59 | $22.14 | $18.92 | 260 | 0.04 | 2.36 |
| Annual | $35,090 | $35,090 | $35,090 | $42,830 | $46,050 | $39,360 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $17.61 | $19.10 | $19.22 | $19.22 | $21.41 | $19.67 | 90 | 0.08 | 4.40 |
| Annual | $36,620 | $39,720 | $39,970 | $39,970 | $44,540 | $40,910 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $15.21 | $17.99 | $23.72 | $31.84 | $31.84 | $24.96 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $31,640 | $37,420 | $49,330 | $66,230 | $66,230 | $51,910 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.66 | $21.33 | $21.33 | $38.10 | $38.10 | $30.57 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $36,730 | $44,370 | $44,370 | $79,250 | $79,250 | $63,580 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $15.47 | $16.49 | $17.11 | $17.62 | $19.77 | $17.69 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $32,180 | $34,290 | $35,590 | $36,640 | $41,130 | $36,790 | ||||
Top industries employing door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors employ 15.6% of door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers nationally (430 jobs) at a median $45,400 a year ($21.83 an hour), followed by Building Finishing Contractors (13.8%) and Special Food Services (6.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 430 | 15.6% | $45,400 | $21.83 |
| Building Finishing Contractors NAICS 238300 | 380 | 13.8% | $36,700 | $17.65 |
| Special Food Services NAICS 722300 | 190 | 6.9% | $38,450 | $18.49 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 180 | 6.5% | $38,990 | $18.74 |
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 100 | 3.6% | $37,590 | $18.07 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (2,760). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,390 for door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers in May 2021 and $41,380 in May 2025, with employment of 7,860 and 2,760.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,390 | $14.13 | 7,860 |
| May 2022 | $31,100 | $14.95 | 8,640 |
| May 2023 | $34,910 | $16.78 | 6,220 |
| May 2024 | $34,530 | $16.60 | 4,590 |
| May 2025 | $41,380 | $19.89 | 2,760 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
14 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri profile | $22.30 | $46,380 | $42,910 | $113,810 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | Texas profile | $22.13 | $46,040 | $30,670 | $73,340 | 160 | 0.01 | 0.65 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $21.33 | $44,370 | $34,770 | $44,370 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Indiana profile | $19.17 | $39,870 | $21,890 | $46,010 | 200 | 0.06 | 3.54 |
| 5 | California profile | $19.00 | $39,520 | $35,090 | $62,830 | 560 | 0.03 | 1.73 |
| 6 | Utah profile | $18.74 | $38,990 | $37,310 | $45,740 | 90 | 0.05 | 3.03 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $18.56 | $38,590 | $30,800 | $48,890 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | Connecticut profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $36,880 | $39,520 | ** | ** | ** |
| 9 | North Carolina profile | $17.97 | $37,370 | $36,180 | $44,290 | 140 | 0.03 | 1.61 |
| 10 | Michigan profile | $17.65 | $36,700 | $34,070 | $38,590 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | Ohio profile | $17.41 | $36,210 | $35,400 | $38,620 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.65 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $16.49 | $34,290 | $31,850 | $51,490 | ** | ** | ** |
| 13 | Kansas profile | $15.85 | $32,970 | $16,640 | $94,280 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $15.54 | $32,320 | $30,250 | $37,850 | 100 | 0.03 | 1.40 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (41-9090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Sales and Related Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 41-9091 Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 41-9091, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 41-9091.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.