Retail Salespersons Salary in Massachusetts
The median for retail salespersons in Massachusetts is $36,610 a year, somewhat above the national $35,410 (+3%); the state ranks 11th of 51 states by median. That is 42% less than the median across all occupations in Massachusetts ($63,590). Among neighbouring states, New York and Vermont pay more (up to $37,720 in New York) and Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island pay less (down to $34,860 in Rhode Island). Massachusetts employs 86,860 retail salespersons, 23.9 per 1,000 jobs, the 14th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.95 is close to the national share.
Massachusetts vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $16.01 | $16.81 | $17.60 | $19.48 | $23.07 | $19.22 | 86,860 | 23.88 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $33,310 | $34,960 | $36,610 | $40,510 | $47,980 | $39,970 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.08 | $14.38 | $17.03 | $18.59 | $23.02 | $17.94 | 3,897,860 | – | – |
| Annual | $27,210 | $29,900 | $35,410 | $38,670 | $47,890 | $37,310 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 11th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 14th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.95
- Jobs per 1,000
- 23.88
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Massachusetts's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Massachusetts
7 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Massachusetts publish a row for retail salespersons, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $17.72 | $36,850 | $34,000 | $48,260 | 64,150 | 23.73 | 0.95 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $17.69 | $36,790 | $34,160 | $48,570 | 3,650 | 38.79 | 1.55 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $17.61 | $36,630 | $32,580 | $46,660 | 1,790 | 27.29 | 1.09 |
| Worcester, MA | $17.41 | $36,220 | $31,950 | $47,020 | 8,830 | 25.23 | 1.01 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $17.09 | $35,540 | $31,510 | $47,980 | 1,850 | 32.53 | 1.30 |
| Springfield, MA | $17.04 | $35,440 | $31,200 | $47,280 | 4,410 | 21.89 | 0.87 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $16.94 | $35,230 | $31,200 | $46,570 | 20,910 | 29.28 | 1.17 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $18.09 | $37,630 | $34,110 | $55,600 | 1,300 | 31.32 | 1.25 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $17.60 | $36,610 | 86,860 | 0.95 |
| Connecticut | $17.54 | $36,490 | 42,410 | 1.00 |
| New Hampshire | $17.41 | $36,200 | 23,880 | 1.39 |
| New York | $18.13 | $37,720 | 238,540 | 0.98 |
| Rhode Island | $16.76 | $34,860 | 12,830 | 1.02 |
| Vermont | $17.98 | $37,400 | 8,250 | 1.08 |
See the national page for Retail Salespersons (every state ranked) and the Massachusetts wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Massachusetts estimates.
- 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.