SOC 41-2031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Retail Salespersons — Lakeland
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Lakeland, FL is $31,820 a year, trailing the national median of $35,410 by 10.1%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -0.5%
- Openings per year
- 555,800
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Lakeland, FL is $31,820 a year, trailing the national median of $35,410 by 10.1%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $28,440 and $36,320. The lowest tenth earn under $27,400, while the highest tenth earn more than $44,340.
The area has 8,220 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 31.0 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, Naples records the highest median at $35,380. Of the 429 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 414th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $27,400 | −22.6% |
| 25th | $28,440 | −19.7% |
| Median (50th) | $31,820 | −10.1% |
| 75th | $36,320 | +2.6% |
| 90th | $44,340 | +25.2% |
| Mean | $34,650 | −2.1% |
Other metro areas in Florida
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naples | $35,380 | 6,830 | |
| 2 | North Port | $35,160 | 13,420 | |
| 3 | Cape Coral | $34,650 | 12,220 | |
| 4 | Jacksonville | $34,360 | 22,390 | |
| 5 | Miami | $34,330 | 91,370 | |
| 6 | Punta Gorda | $34,290 | 2,720 | |
| 7 | Wildwood | $34,290 | 1,400 | |
| 8 | Port St. Lucie | $34,020 | 6,210 | |
| 9 | Crestview | $33,920 | 5,760 | |
| 10 | Tampa | $33,790 | 45,130 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Lakeland run 2.9% below the national average, so the median of $31,820 goes as far as $32,770 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 7.5% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$31,820as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$32,770US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $31,820 a year, 10.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $27,400 to $44,340 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 8,220 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Naples, at $35,380.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Retail Salespersons in Lakeland, FL?
The median annual wage is $31,820, or $15.30 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $35,410, so pay in Lakeland, FL is 10.1% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Lakeland, FL earns more than $44,340 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $27,400 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Naples, at $35,380 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 8,220 jobs in this occupation in Lakeland, FL. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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