First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Also called: Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
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.
Also called: Art Gallery Director, Auto Leasing Manager, Auto Parts Manager, Auto Rental Supervisor, Automobile Leasing Supervisor, Bakery Manager
Median pay
$48,520
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$33,120 – $77,080
People employed
1,121,800
Holland code
ECS
Enterprising · Conventional · Social
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 2.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 3.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 4.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Long hours on your feet
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers salary in every state →
What first-line supervisors of retail sales workers do
- 01Provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
- 02Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or in performing services for customers.
- 03Formulate pricing policies for merchandise, according to profitability requirements.
- 04Examine merchandise to ensure that it is correctly priced and displayed and that it functions as advertised.
- 05Monitor sales activities to ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods.
- 06Instruct staff on how to handle difficult and complicated sales.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Learning Strategies
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Sales and Marketing
- English Language
- Education and Training
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
- Social Orientation
- Leadership Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from first-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services91% · 0%
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers90% · −9%
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers87% · +43%
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers83% · +1%
- Gambling Managers83% · +92%
Change into first-line supervisors of retail sales workers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers87% · $44,080
- Retail Salespersons86% · $35,410
- Cashiers85% · $32,880
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services85% · $48,560
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers83% · $48,590
Majors that lead here
- Floriculture/Floristry Operations and Management
- Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management
- E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce
- Retail Management
- Retailing and Retail Operations
- Selling Skills and Sales Operations
- General Merchandising, Sales, and Related Marketing Operations, Other
- Special Products Marketing Operations
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.