Retail Salespersons Salary in North Carolina
Retail Salespersons in North Carolina have a median of $31,370 a year, below the national $35,410 (−11%); the state ranks 38th of 51 states by median. That is 35% less than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia and Tennessee pay more (up to $34,240 in Virginia) and Georgia and South Carolina pay less (down to $30,690 in South Carolina). North Carolina employs 127,540 retail salespersons, 25.8 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.03 is close to the national share.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $11.08 | $13.33 | $15.08 | $17.76 | $22.15 | $16.46 | 127,540 | 25.81 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $23,040 | $27,720 | $31,370 | $36,930 | $46,070 | $34,230 | ||||
| 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
- 38th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.03
- Jobs per 1,000
- 25.81
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina'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 North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | $16.40 | $34,110 | $23,570 | $46,660 | 5,570 | 30.86 | 1.23 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $16.14 | $33,580 | $24,080 | $46,730 | 35,150 | 25.88 | 1.03 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $15.91 | $33,100 | $24,090 | $46,900 | 18,660 | 25.11 | 1.00 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $15.28 | $31,790 | $23,990 | $45,620 | 5,850 | 17.01 | 0.68 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $14.82 | $30,820 | $26,960 | $44,570 | 20,890 | 27.38 | 1.09 |
| Wilmington, NC | $14.80 | $30,790 | $22,820 | $45,910 | 6,310 | 32.97 | 1.32 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $14.78 | $30,750 | $23,070 | $45,720 | 9,510 | 26.02 | 1.04 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $14.67 | $30,520 | $22,500 | $45,700 | 4,000 | 25.99 | 1.04 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $14.64 | $30,440 | $22,380 | $43,700 | 4,240 | 32.25 | 1.29 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $14.47 | $30,100 | $22,520 | $45,180 | 6,790 | 24.96 | 1.00 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $14.43 | $30,020 | $22,420 | $42,860 | 1,370 | 32.02 | 1.28 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $14.40 | $29,960 | $21,820 | $44,260 | 1,460 | 36.22 | 1.44 |
| Burlington, NC | $14.24 | $29,630 | $22,670 | $44,500 | 2,570 | 37.92 | 1.51 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $14.18 | $29,480 | $21,440 | $42,220 | 2,040 | 38.89 | 1.55 |
| Greenville, NC | $14.06 | $29,250 | $22,340 | $42,910 | 2,370 | 29.29 | 1.17 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $13.86 | $28,830 | $21,590 | $43,870 | 1,380 | 25.30 | 1.01 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $14.66 | $30,490 | $22,280 | $44,570 | 8,030 | 31.70 | 1.26 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $14.65 | $30,470 | $22,710 | $45,260 | 7,500 | 28.35 | 1.13 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $14.47 | $30,100 | $21,900 | $45,620 | 5,630 | 23.67 | 0.94 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $15.08 | $31,370 | 127,540 | 1.03 |
| Georgia | $14.83 | $30,840 | 143,120 | 1.17 |
| South Carolina | $14.75 | $30,690 | 67,310 | 1.16 |
| Tennessee | $15.36 | $31,950 | 87,380 | 1.06 |
| Virginia | $16.46 | $34,240 | 100,290 | 0.97 |
See the national page for Retail Salespersons (every state ranked) and the North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.