Retail Salespersons pay in California
$42,950avg. a year
$20.65 an hour · 376,460 employed
Retail Salespersons in California earn an average of $42,950 a year. That is $5,640 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $37,310. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $47,420.
$38,440Median pay
$20.65Average hourly
+21%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for retail salespersons by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
118,340 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$47,420
$22.80 an hour
239,460 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$47,290
$22.73 an hour
32,150 jobs
Napa, CA
$45,630
$21.94 an hour
45,720 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$44,180
$21.24 an hour
5130,650 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$43,010
$20.68 an hour
64,110 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$42,810
$20.58 an hour
71,080 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$42,450
$20.41 an hour
822,970 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$42,430
$20.40 an hour
94,110 jobs
Salinas, CA
$42,390
$20.38 an hour
102,430 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$42,050
$20.22 an hour
1134,390 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$41,850
$20.12 an hour
124,490 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$41,690
$20.04 an hour
133,390 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$41,590
$20.00 an hour
148,270 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$41,530
$19.97 an hour
155,680 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$41,530
$19.97 an hour
165,140 jobs
Modesto, CA
$41,470
$19.94 an hour
172,010 jobs
Chico, CA
$41,260
$19.84 an hour
1841,270 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$41,230
$19.82 an hour
191,480 jobs
Merced, CA
$40,580
$19.51 an hour
206,050 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$40,330
$19.39 an hour
219,290 jobs
Fresno, CA
$39,980
$19.22 an hour
22920 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$39,940
$19.20 an hour
231,880 jobs
Redding, CA
$39,940
$19.20 an hour
243,920 jobs
Visalia, CA
$39,300
$18.89 an hour
251,900 jobs
El Centro, CA
$38,510
$18.52 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Retail Salespersons pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California retail salespersons work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $35k$35k–$37k$37k–$40k$40k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $37,310 | $17.94 |
| California | $42,950 | $20.65 |
| Oregon | $40,360 | $19.41 |
| Arizona | $38,190 | $18.36 |
| Nevada | $36,320 | $17.46 |
Related jobs in California
- Cashiers$40,060
- Counter and Rental Clerks$49,330
- Parts Salespersons$48,860
- Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers$40,400
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$95,130
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$88,460
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do retail salespersons make in California?
The average is $42,950 a year, and the median is $38,440. That is $5,640 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $37,310.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$20.65 an hour on average; the median is $18.48.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,420), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($47,290). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is El Centro, CA ($38,510).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 41-2031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national retail salespersons page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.