SOC 7111 Sales occupations

Sales and retail assistants Salary

Median salary £14,491 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £14,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For sales and retail assistants, £25,056 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -36% versus the national average. Experienced sales and retail assistants (top 25%) earn over £21,774.

About this role

Sales and retail assistants serve customers in shops, department stores and retail outlets. They assist with purchases, operate tills, stock shelves, provide product advice and maintain attractive sales floor displays.

Key responsibilities

Serving customers and processing transactions
Providing product knowledge and advice
Stocking shelves and maintaining displays
Operating tills and handling cash and card payments
Maintaining store cleanliness and presentation

Qualifications and entry routes

No formal qualifications required. On-the-job training provided. NVQ Level 2 in Retail Skills is available. Customer service qualifications are valued by some employers.

Career outlook

Retail employment faces structural changes from online shopping. In-store roles increasingly emphasise customer experience, advice and omnichannel service.

Key skills

Customer service Product knowledge Cash handling Communication Teamwork

Common industries

High street retail
Supermarkets
Department stores
Specialist retailers
Concessions and franchises

Data coverage

SOC code 7111

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 895,000

Median Salary

£14,491

Mean Salary

£16,086

Jobs (000s)

895k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P10: £6kP25: £10kMedian: £14kP75: £22kP90: £28k

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£5,709

0-2 years

Mid Level

£9,734

3-7 years

Senior

£21,774

8-15 years

Leadership

£27,733

15+ years

Potential career growth: +386% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +56.9%Real growth: +13.7%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 28.5%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£14,491

Full-time Only

£25,056

Full-time premium: +£10,565

Sales and retail assistants salary: common questions

How much do sales and retail assistants earn in the UK?

Sales and retail assistants earn a median of £25,056 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £9,734 and £21,774.

Is £25,056 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for sales and retail assistants?

Entry-level sales and retail assistants typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £9,734, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £5,709.

How much do the highest-paid sales and retail assistants earn?

The best-paid 10% of sales and retail assistants earn over £27,733 a year, and the top 25% over £21,774 (ONS ASHE 2025).

Have sales and retail assistants salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median sales and retail assistants pay has risen from £15,420 to £25,056 — +62% in cash terms, or +18% after CPIH inflation. That is ahead of inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for sales and retail assistants?

Male sales and retail assistants earn a median £18,150 and female sales and retail assistants £12,983 — a gap of +28% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).