Retail Salespersons
Sales and Related · SOC 41-2031
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 41-2031 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 32.2%
- Very High · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 40/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $35,410
- H-1B offered wage $45,656; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 641,300
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -0.5%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 1
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 961,583 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
Best transitions from here
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AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.
Common titles: Car Salesman, Customer Assistant, Retail Salesperson, Sales Associate, Sales Clerk, Sales Consultant
Representative Tasks
- •Greet customers and ascertain what each customer wants or needs.
- •Recommend, select, and help locate or obtain merchandise based on customer needs and desires.
- •Compute sales prices, total purchases, and receive and process cash or credit payment.
- •Prepare merchandise for purchase or rental.
- •Answer questions regarding the store and its merchandise.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Gather customer or product information to determine customer needs.
- •Greet customers, patrons, or visitors.
- •Recommend products or services to customers.
- •Maintain records of sales or other business transactions.
- •Process sales or other transactions.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 32.2% | 27.4% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 35% Bright |
| Median Salary | $35,410 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 68/100 | N/A |