First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers: Job Description
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.
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What Tasks Do First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of first-line supervisors of retail sales workers cover:
- 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.
- 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.
- Keep records of purchases, sales, and requisitions.
- Perform work activities of subordinates, such as cleaning and organizing shelves and displays and selling merchandise.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful first-line supervisors of retail sales workers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Art Gallery Director
- Auto Leasing Manager
- Auto Parts Manager
- Auto Rental Supervisor
- Automobile Leasing Supervisor
- Bakery Manager
- Branch Manager
- Branch Store Manager
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 789,250 first-line supervisors of retail sales workers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +5.3% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $53,224 |
| Hourly median | $25.59 |
| 10th percentile | $37,407 |
| 25th percentile | $45,316 |
| 75th percentile | $61,133 |
| 90th percentile | $69,041 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $58,460 |
| Rhode Island | $58,030 |
| New York | $57,410 |
| Colorado | $55,780 |
| Hawaii | $55,380 |
| District of Columbia | $55,350 |
| Massachusetts | $53,050 |
| New Jersey | $52,450 |
| Vermont | $52,000 |
| Connecticut | $51,790 |
| Alaska | $51,660 |
| Delaware | $51,330 |
| New Hampshire | $50,500 |
| California | $50,240 |
| South Dakota | $50,180 |
| Maine | $49,440 |
| Wisconsin | $48,410 |
| Oregon | $48,010 |
| Virginia | $47,980 |
| Montana | $47,970 |
| Minnesota | $47,310 |
| Illinois | $47,240 |
| Florida | $47,100 |
| North Carolina | $47,020 |
| Utah | $46,900 |
| Indiana | $46,880 |
| North Dakota | $46,770 |
| Michigan | $46,640 |
| Arizona | $46,450 |
| South Carolina | $46,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,160 |
| Kansas | $46,080 |
| Maryland | $46,060 |
| Wyoming | $45,600 |
| New Mexico | $45,600 |
| Missouri | $45,580 |
| Iowa | $45,390 |
| Texas | $45,270 |
| Idaho | $44,990 |
| Nevada | $44,780 |
| Tennessee | $44,720 |
| Nebraska | $44,680 |
| Ohio | $44,320 |
| Georgia | $43,580 |
| Virgin Islands | $43,520 |
| Mississippi | $43,110 |
| Louisiana | $42,700 |
| Alabama | $42,670 |
| Oklahoma | $39,900 |
| Kentucky | $38,530 |
| Arkansas | $37,550 |
| West Virginia | $37,080 |
| Guam | $30,550 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,690 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $52,352 | 4.8% | 1.04 |
| Middle Atlantic | $51,419 | 13.6% | 0.93 |
| Far Western US | $51,191 | 15.0% | 0.92 |
| Rocky Mountains | $51,186 | 4.4% | 1.16 |
| Great Lakes | $46,386 | 12.9% | 0.92 |
| Plains States | $46,316 | 6.4% | 0.93 |
| Southwest | $44,910 | 12.9% | 1.04 |
| Southeast | $44,781 | 28.7% | 1.19 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $60,320 | 14,440 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $60,260 | 4,610 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $59,620 | 940 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $58,320 | 52,310 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $57,990 | 1,570 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | NY | $57,830 | 2,930 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $57,790 | 630 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $57,440 | 12,420 |
Which Industries Hire First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Most first-line supervisors of retail sales workers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 984,680 | $47,050 |
| Wholesale Trade | 24,480 | $61,150 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 21,970 | $56,870 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 11,740 | $42,910 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 11,590 | $45,990 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 9,590 | $46,800 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,900 | $49,680 |
| Manufacturing | 6,630 | $50,360 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Internet browser software: Apple Safari (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data mining software: Google Analytics (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Time accounting software: Kronos Workforce Timekeeper (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Education and Training
Typical first-line supervisors of retail sales workers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (Primary-Short)
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers (Primary-Short)
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services (Primary-Short)
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers (Primary-Long)
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers (Primary-Short)
- Cashiers (Supplemental)
- Counter and Rental Clerks (Supplemental)
- Retail Salespersons (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers typically earn programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
6 programs across 3 majors
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 41-1011.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers).
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