SOC 41-2031 · Sales and Related Occupations · May 2025

How much do Retail Salespersons make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

In the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Retail Salespersons in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $30,820. The 10th percentile is $26,960 and the 90th percentile is $44,570. Employment is 20,890.

Median annual wage

$30,820

10th percentile
$26,960
25th percentile
$28,010
Median
$30,820
75th percentile
$35,860
90th percentile
$44,570
Mean
$34,180

Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

A scientist working at a laboratory bench
A scientist in a laboratory. Photograph by Mark Shwartz, Stanford ENERGY. Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5

Percentile spread

For Retail Salespersons, the published 10th percentile is $26,960 and the 90th percentile is $44,570. The difference is $17,610, which is 57.1% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $28,010 to the 75th at $35,860, covers $7,850.

The mean annual wage is $34,180, which sits above the median of $30,820. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC median is 13% lower than the national median of $35,410 for Retail Salespersons. In 2024 national prices the local median is $31,468, which is 11.1% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 10% lower than the Virginia median of $34,240.

Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC covers more than one state. The state comparison uses Virginia, the primary state on the BLS area record.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is 97.941, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $30,820 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Retail Salespersons at $31,468 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

22 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Retail Salespersons. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ranks 14th of 23 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

  • Richmond, VA is 70 miles away, with a median of $33,580 and employment of 16,210. That median is 9% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $34,315, against $31,468 here.
  • Rocky Mount, NC is 100 miles away, with a median of $28,830 and employment of 1,380. That median is 6.5% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $32,757, against $31,468 here.
  • Salisbury, MD is 100 miles away, with a median of $33,010 and employment of 1,790. That median is 7.1% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $34,523, against $31,468 here.

Employment share

Retail Salespersons accounts for 2.7% of wage-and-salary employment in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC (20,890 of 763,060). Nationally the occupation is 2.5% of employment (3,897,860 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.09 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.

Highest-paying jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC · Retail Salespersons by metro · How to read these percentiles · Median and mean · When a wage is not published · How the figures are made · Compare this wage after prices

Questions this page answers

How much do Retail Salespersons make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Retail Salespersons in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $30,820. The 10th percentile is $26,960 and the 90th percentile is $44,570. Employment is 20,890.

How does that compare with the national median for Retail Salespersons?

The local median is 13% lower than the national median of $35,410.

What is Retail Salespersons pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC after local prices?

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is 97.941, with the United States at 100. In those national prices, the May 2025 median of $30,820 is $31,468. The wage is May 2025 and the parity is 2024.

How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC compare with nearby metros for Retail Salespersons?

Richmond, VA is the closest metropolitan area within 200 miles with a published annual median, 70 miles away, at $33,580. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ranks 14th of 23 metros within 200 miles on that median. Distances use Census Bureau internal points.