Retail jobs offer a wide range of opportunities, from sales positions to management roles, while some of the highest-paying retail jobs can support a pretty high standard of living.
Many retailers are looking for employees who have solid product knowledge as well as communication and customer service skills. So, if you have these, you’re already a great candidate for the job!
However, before you send in your application, we recommend you explore the highest-paying retail jobs we listed so you don’t miss out on better offers and sell yourself short.
Key Takeaways
- Most people assume that retail jobs only pay the minimum wage, but there are many positions that offer much higher hourly wages.
- The highest-paying retail jobs tend to be in management or corporate roles.
- Professional retail jobs require an additional set of skills as well as prior experience in the industry.
- Wages can vary widely, depending on the retailer. Some companies, such as Sephora and Starbucks, are known for paying their workers well.
What Are Retail Jobs?
Retail jobs are positions in the retail industry that involve selling products or services directly to customers. These sales can happen either in a physical store, an online store, or a combination of the two.
Retail jobs can include positions such as sales associates, customer service representatives, cashiers, managers, etc. Based on the company’s needs, these jobs can be either part-time or full-time, with some businesses offering seasonal jobs as well.
The retail job description includes tasks such as:
- Assisting customers with purchases
- Handling transactions
- Helping customers
- Inventory management
Additionally, besides good communication skills, some retail jobs may also require some technical expertise. This is usually the case for retail jobs that offer customer service.
8 Highest-Paying Retailers
The highest-paying retailers mostly vary depending on the job title and location. However, some of the highest-paying retailers in the United States include:
#1. Costco
Costco is currently the second-largest retailer in the entire world. The company operates more than 800 warehouse clubs worldwide and offers anything from groceries to appliances, furniture, and household goods.
Costco is known for paying its employees well, which has helped them establish good relationships with one another. According to Glassdoor, Costco offers an average hourly wage of around $17.
Costco also has a healthy culture and has been praised for its high employee satisfaction and low turnover rates. It also offers 401(k) plans, discounts, and health coverage to its employees.
#2. Sephora
Sephora is a multinational beauty and personal care retailer that was founded in France in 1969. Some of the positions that Sephora offers include:
- Retail Sales Associate
- Makeup Artist
- Skincare Specialist
- Store Manager
Sephora offers competitive pay and benefits to its retail employees. The average hourly wage for a Sephora retail sales associate is around $17, which is higher than the federal minimum wage in the US. Thanks to this and some other factors, Sephora has managed to push through the retail apocalypse and stay profitable.
Additionally, Sephora offers healthcare coverage, paid time off, employee discounts, and career development opportunities.
#3. Home Depot
Founded in 1978, The Home Depot is a home improvement retailer that focuses on selling a wide range of products such as building materials, appliances, tools, and garden supplies.
Some retail jobs that The Home Depot offers are:
- Sales Associate
- Department Supervisor
- Customer Service Representative
- Store Manager
- Merchandise Associate
The Home Depot is known for offering qualitative pay, with an average hourly wage of around $15. What sets Home Depot apart from the other retailers is that it offers paid Path to Pro training programs to help its new employees build their skills.
#4. Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s is a grocery store chain developed in 1958 in California. As a grocery store chain, Trader Joe’s offers a wide range of food and beverage products, including fresh produce, frozen foods, snacks, and even alcoholic beverages.
Some examples of retail positions that Trader Joe’s offers are:
- Crew Member
- Mate (Manager in Training
- Store Captain
- Crew Trainer
- Product Developer
Compared to other grocery store chains, Trader Joe’s is known for paying well. The average hourly wage is around $16 per hour. Besides this, Trader Joe’s also offers opportunities for raises and bonuses based on employee performance.
#5. Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks is a luxury department store chain that operates more than 40 stores in the US and Canada. It hosts many high-end brands, such as Chanel, Gucci, and Prada.
Saks is a great place if you’re looking for the highest-paying luxury retail job, as it offers the following positions:
- Sales Associate
- Personal Stylist
- Beauty Advisor
- Visual Merchandiser
- Inventory Control Associate
- Manager
Payment may vary depending on the job title and location. For a sales associate position, you can expect to make around $16. The highest-paying retail management jobs, on the other hand, can range from around $60,000 to $130,000.
#6. Starbucks
As the number one coffeehouse chain worldwide, Starbucks is known for its delicious coffee and yummy goods in a comfortable atmosphere. Their main focus as a company is to provide sustainable and ethical sourcing practices.
Currently, Starbucks offers these retail positions:
- Barista
- Shift Supervisor
- Store Manager
- District Manager
Depending on the position, the salary may vary. A barista usually makes around $11 per hour, while a shift supervisor can expect to make around $13 per hour.
#7. Amazon
Amazon is a multinational technology and retail company founded by Jeff Bezos. It originally started as an online bookstore and has now transformed into a retailer that offers a wide range of services such as e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and AI.
Amazon employees are expected to have:
- Highschool diploma
- Communication skills
- Detail-orientedness
- Stamina
It also offers retail positions such as customer service associate, warehouse associate, delivery driver, operations manager, and retail associate. You can expect to make anywhere from $13 per hour as a janitor to $50 per hour as a software engineer.
#8. Apple
Apple Inc. is a technology company that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. It is best known for its line of iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, and Apple Watches.
Apple offers a wide array of retail positions, such as:
- Sales associate
- Apple Genius
- Specialist
- Manager
- Business manager
- Operations expert
Depending on the position you choose, the pay will vary. However, you can expect to make anything from $14 to $58 per hour.
6 Highest Paying Professional Jobs in Retail
Here are some of the highest-paying professional retail jobs:
#1. Loss Control Manager
A loss control manager is a professional responsible for managing and minimizing losses that can occur in a business. This position is typically found in the insurance, retail, and banking industries.
The main role of a loss control manager is to manage potential risks such as property damage, theft, or workplace injuries. Besides having some great technical, communication, and leadership skills, a loss control manager is expected to have:
- Bachelor’s degree in either business, risk management, or engineering
- CRM (Certified Risk Manager) or ARM (Associate in Risk Management) certifications
This position offers an average hourly wage of $38.
#2. Merchandising Director
Merchandising directors are senior-level professionals whose main priority is to oversee the buying and selling of products for a company or organization. The key duties of a merchandising director include developing and implementing a strategic merchandising plan that aligns with the company’s business goals.
The following are required for this position:
- Bachelor’s degree in either business, marketing, or merchandising
- Five to ten years of prior experience
- Strategic thinking
- Creative skills
A merchandising director can expect to make around $70 per hour.
#3. Retail Project Manager
A retail project manager’s main responsibility is to oversee various projects within a retail organization. They ensure that projects are finished on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards.
A retail project manager is expected to have the following:
- Bachelors in business administration or marketing
- Three to five years of prior working experience
- Project management certification such as PMP (Project Management Professional) or CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)
Retail project managers can make around $52 per hour, depending on their experience level and the complexity of the assigned projects.
#4. Customer Service Manager
Customer service managers are professionals who manage a team of CSRs (or Customer Service Representatives) within a company. They make sure that their team provides high-quality customer service to clients and helps them resolve any issues that may arise.
Customer service managers need to have these skills and qualifications:
- Bachelors in administration or marketing
- Three to five years of experience in customer service
- Leadership skills
- Interpersonal skills
A customer service manager can make around $47 per hour.
#5. Chief Financial Officer
A chief financial officer is an executive whose main duty is to manage a company’s financial operations, such as accounting, budgeting, and finance. This role requires some financial expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership skills.
CFOs also need the following qualifications before applying:
- Bachelors in finance, accounting, business, or economics
- Experience in a management or leadership position
- CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or CMA (Certified Management Accountant) certification
A chief financial officer makes around $104 per hour.
#6. Information Technology (IT) Director
An IT director is responsible for the technology infrastructure and organizational operations. They develop and implement technology strategies that can support an organization’s business objectives. They also help enhance the customer experience.
An IT director is required to have the following qualifications:
- Bachelors or Masters in computer science or information technology
- Experience in a technology role
- IT skills
- Leadership skills
- Communication skills
- Strategic thinking skills (such as the ability to develop and implement IT strategies)
- Business acumen
Information technology directors can expect to make around $54 per hour.
#7. Financial Analyst
A financial analyst analyzes financial data and provides recommendations to improve the financial performance of a business or organization. They use tools and techniques to gather data such as income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and financial ratios.
A financial analyst is required to have:
- Bachelors in finance, accounting, or economics
- Analytical skills
- Technical skills
- CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst), CPA (Certified Public Accountant), or FRM (Financial Risk Manager) certification
The average hourly salary of a financial analyst is around $31.
Final Thoughts
While the retail industry is often associated with low-paying jobs, there are many positions that offer competitive wages and benefits. In fact, some retail companies are widely known for paying their employees well, especially for positions in management or specialized roles.
Wages can vary widely depending on the retailer, since some retailers can offer significantly higher pay than others. The key is finding the right one for you among the highest-paying retail jobs, and we hope this list has helped you do just that!
Highest Paying Retail Jobs FAQ
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about the highest-paying retail jobs:
#1. Which retail pays the most?
The retail industry has a variety of job positions that pay well, but the highest-paying retail jobs tend to be in the healthcare and technology sectors.
Forbes has claimed that some of the highest-paying retail jobs include:
- Pharmacy Manager
- Corporate Recruiter
- General Manager
- Software Engineer
- Sales Director
- Store Manager
- Regional Loss Prevention Manager
- Customer Service Manager
#2. What clothing stores pay the most?
The pay for clothing store employees solely depends on the brand and the location. However, some of the highest-paying clothing stores are:
- Lululemon Athletica: $15–$20 per hour
- Patagonia: $14–$17 per hour
- REI: $12–$17 per hour
- Free People: $11–$17 per hour
- Levi’s: $11–$16 per hour
#3. What is the best retailer to work for?
Although determining the “best” retailer to work for can be a bit subjective (as it depends on the salary, personal preferences, and benefits), there are some retailers that are known as the top employers in the industry.
This list includes:
- Costco
- Target
- REI
- Trader Joe’s
- Wegmans Food Markets
