1. Home
  2. Career Explorer
  3. Retail Sales Associate
  4. Skills
Content has loaded

How to become a Retail Sales Associate

Typically, there are no formal education requirements for retail sales associates. Some employers prefer applicants who have a high school diploma or equivalent, especially employers who sell technical products or "big-ticket" items, such as electronics or cars.

Most retail sales associates receive on-the-job training, which usually lasts a few days to a few months. In small stores, an experienced employee often trains newly hired workers. In large stores, training programs are more formal and usually conducted over several days.

Retail sales associates typically have opportunities to advance to supervisory or managerial positions. Some employers want candidates for managerial positions to have a college degree.

Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

How to become: Customer Service Representative · Sales Associate · Cashier · Sales Assistant · Team Member
Is this useful?

Upgrade your resume

Get an expert review of your resume.

Start a review

Typical qualifications for a Retail Sales Associate

11/12
Your Indeed Profile has 11 of the 12 qualifications typically needed to be a Retail Sales Associate.
Indeed users who have worked as a Retail Sales Associate typically have these qualifications.
Sign in to compare your skills for Retail Sales Associate jobs.

Skills employers are looking for


Note this is provided for informational purposes only. Adding qualifications does not guarantee a job interview, opportunity, or an offer.
Is this useful?

Retail Sales Associate jobs in United States

Retail Sales Associate
Vapor World3.1
Jacksonville, TX
From $14.25 an hour
Full-time
View job details
28 minutes ago
Retail Sales Associate - Addison
Glo Tanning3.6
Dallas, TX
$13 - $18 an hour
1 day ago
Retail Sales Associate
IKEA3.8
Emeryville, CA
$19.05 - $26.71 an hour
Full-time
1 hour ago
Retail Sales Representative
Redfern Inc
Georgia
$17 - $19 an hour
Full-time
1 day ago
Store Associate (Full Time) - Suffolk, VA
Lidl3.1
Suffolk, VA
$15 an hour
Full-time
1 hour ago
View all Retail Sales Associate jobs

Career progression for Retail Sales Associate

Education levels for Retail Sales Associates

Based on the requirements of Retail Sales Associate job openings on Indeed in the United States within the last three years.
required level of educationpercent of job openings
High school diploma or GED68.3%
Bachelor's degree16.0%
Associate's degree12.8%
Master's degree1.6%
Middle school education1.2%
Doctoral degree0.1%
Is this useful?

Expected salary by experience

Based on resume data from Indeed users who reported working as a Retail Sales Associate in the United States within the last three years.
Years of experienceAnnual salary in USD
0 - 4$20,700
4 - 8$23,500
8 - 12$26,000
12 - 16$27,700
16 - 20$28,100
20 - 24$28,700
Is this useful?

Career insights

Frequently searched careers

Registered Nurse

Police Officer

Software Engineer

Teacher

Truck Driver

Administrative Assistant

Firefighter

Real Estate Agent

Nursing Assistant

Electrician

Server

Dental Hygienist