First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
SOC code 41-1011 · O*NET-SOC 41-1011.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Sales
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects numerous job openings for this occupation
Retail supervisors run a department or a shift — scheduling, targets, escalated customer issues, opening and closing. It is almost always reached by promotion from the sales floor, and it is the standard first step toward store management.
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$48,520
a year
Hourly
$23.33
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$53,380
$25.66 per hour
Middle 50%
$38,590 – $62,130
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$33,120 – $77,080
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
1,121,800
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $33,120
- $15.92/hr
- 25th percentile
- $38,590
- $18.55/hr
- Median percentile
- $48,520
- $23.33/hr
- 75th percentile
- $62,130
- $29.87/hr
- 90th percentile
- $77,080
- $37.06/hr
What does a first-line supervisors of retail sales worker do?
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of retail sales workers in an establishment or department. Duties may include management functions, such as purchasing, budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
- Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or in performing services for customers.
- Formulate pricing policies for merchandise, according to profitability requirements.
- Examine merchandise to ensure that it is correctly priced and displayed and that it functions as advertised.
- Monitor sales activities to ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods.
- Instruct staff on how to handle difficult and complicated sales.
- Assign employees to specific duties.
- Hire, train, and evaluate personnel in sales or marketing establishments, promoting or firing workers when appropriate.
How to become a first-line supervisors of retail sales worker
Most people in this role hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged) — 52% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)52%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree19%
- Less than a High School Diploma14%
- Post-Secondary Certificate9%
Common questions
How much does a first-line supervisors of retail sales worker earn?
The national median is $48,520 a year. The full range runs from $33,120 at the 10th percentile to $77,080 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a first-line supervisors of retail sales worker without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Speaking3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.5/5
- Monitoring3.5/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.8/5
- Administration and Management4.5/5
- Sales and Marketing3.9/5
- English Language3.9/5
- Education and Training3.6/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.3/5
- Computers and Electronics3.3/5
- Mathematics3.3/5
Transferable strengths: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Persuasion, Negotiation, Instructing.