8 Highest-Paying Retail Jobs in 2024

According to the National Retail Federation, one in four American jobs is either in retail or supported by retail [1]. Thirty-two million Americans work directly in the industry, making it the largest private-sector employer in the country [1]. 

If you enjoy working with people, like the idea of flexible schedules and want to work in a field that often places as much or more value on experience than education, retail may be for you. You can often start in an entry-level position and work your way up to management or other departments within a few years. To understand what you can earn in this industry with experience and knowledge, explore this list of some of the highest-paying retail jobs. 

Highest-paying retail jobs

The retail industry offers job opportunities to suit almost any interest. Some like working face-to-face with customers daily, while others enjoy the creativity involved with jobs like marketing and merchandising. Others still like working in management and ensuring a store, a district, or a region's sales and operations run smoothly daily. No matter what aspect of the industry you enjoy, you're likely to find a career that you can work toward on this list of eight highest-paying retail jobs.  

1. Merchandising director

Average annual salary: $118,567 [2]

Merchandising directors are responsible for securing a store, region, or company's products and inventory and ensuring your store meets customer demand. You'll also typically oversee your store's displays. To be good at this role, you'll need to be resilient, have excellent communication skills, and have strong analytical skills. You may fill much of your day with tasks like building relationships with vendors and designers, reviewing sales data, creating competitive pricing plans, implementing marketing plans, and monitoring inventory levels. 

In general, you'll need a high school education and at least five years of retail experience to become a merchandising director. Some larger retailers may require you to have a bachelor's degree in an area like marketing or business, and some may even require a more advanced degree. However, suppose you have a background in merchandising or marketing, particularly one that involves working in a supervisory role. In that case, you may be able to find a position that offers on-the-job training. 

2. District manager 

Average annual salary: $82,563 [3]

A district manager oversees multiple retail stores, usually in one geographic location. In this role, you'd be the go-between for each store and the corporate office, and you may have to travel often to check in on your store locations. Other duties might include implementing company plans and policies at your locations, supporting the management team at each store location, hiring and training new staff, and reporting information back to the corporate office. 

You don’t have to follow one direct path to becoming a district manager. Many have bachelor's degrees in business administration, finance, communications, or retail operations, and some may even have more advanced degrees. However, starting at an entry-level position with a company is possible, and you can work your way up to district manager. This can take several years, and you'll typically need some experience as a lower-level manager first. To enhance your resume, you can also work toward some certifications, like the Certified Manager certification offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers.  

3. Pharmacist 

Average annual salary: $126,615 [4]

Becoming a pharmacist may not be the first career that comes to mind when you think of retail. However, if you've ever gone into a drug store, grocery store, or another retail establishment with a pharmacy, you have probably seen a retail pharmacist in action. It's a suitable job for someone who wants to work in retail and health care. You'll dispense medications, answer customer inquiries, advise customers on general health issues, potentially give vaccinations, work with insurance companies, and oversee a staff of pharmacy technicians. Pharmacists in non-retail settings typically do many of the same tasks but do not meet patients and customers face-to-face.  

To become a pharmacist, you'll usually need a bachelor's degree, preferably in a science like biology or chemistry. Next, you'll most likely need to pass the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) before earning your Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Upon completing your doctoral degree, you may need to complete an internship or a residency, depending on your career goals and the state where you live. You'll also need to pass two exams: The North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) and The Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE). Some states may have their own exam they prefer over the MPJE.  

Read more: What Does a Pharmacist Do? Job Duties, Salary, and More

4. Logistics manager

Average annual salary: $75,497 [5]

While a merchandising director is in charge of securing goods for a store, a logistics manager ensures those goods get where they need to go. In this role, you'll oversee logistics employees, create and implement operations and shipping plans, handle complaints, schedule shipments, and ensure your operations run smoothly and safely. The job will likely require you to be a good leader, a strong communicator, and an organized person with time-management skills.   

As with many retail jobs, you won’t find only one path to becoming a logistics manager. However, many companies want you to have a bachelor's degree in logistics or supply chain management or a related subject. You can also earn numerous certifications to enhance your resume. While every company will have different requirements, the more education and training you have, the higher your salary will likely be. 

5. Marketing development manager

Average annual salary: $89,764 [6]

As a marketing development manager, you'll be in charge of a retail outlet's advertising plans from all perspectives: business, technical, and sales. You'll implement and manage advertising strategies, monitor trends, identify new marketing opportunities, identify hot new products, develop advertising budgets, and drive sales material development. You'll need to be a great communicator and salesperson, as some of your job will also entail maintaining and building relationships with everyone from influencers to potential clients to the development team.   

To become a marketing development manager, you'll typically need a bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or a related field. Several years of experience working in marketing is also usually required, and many people who hold this role also have a master's degree in marketing. 

6. E-commerce manager

Average annual salary: $81,068 [7]

Retail has changed so much over the last couple of decades, and much of that has to do with the fact that you can now buy just about any product or service online. As an e-commerce manager, you'll oversee these online retail transactions and ensure customers have the best possible experience. That might include monitoring online sales through analytics, executing new sales strategies, making retail platforms more user-friendly, overseeing all marketing and web maintenance for an online retail outlet, and addressing customer complaints and inquiries. 

E-commerce managers need a well-rounded background in several topics, including business, marketing, and information technology. You'll often need a bachelor's degree in one of those fields. You'll also need to gain experience working in areas like sales or marketing; previous management experience is usually required. If your previous experience is outside of e-commerce, you can take additional courses or earn certifications in areas like web design and information technology. 

Read more: What Is E-commerce? Types, Benefits, and More

7. General manager

Average annual salary: $77,123 [8]

General managers are sometimes called operations managers because their duties include overseeing the day-to-day operations of a retail store or organization. In this role, you'll oversee the store's staff, hire and train new employees, create schedules, implement corporate policies, handle customer complaints, handle basic bookkeeping, and ensure the store is secure and safe. 

You may take many paths to become a general manager. In many places, you can start in an entry-level position, such as a cashier or stocker, and work your way up with several years of experience, especially if you plan to stay with the same company. You may need some lower-level management or supervisory experience. While it's only sometimes required, having a bachelor's degree in business administration, general management, finance, or a related field can help you stand out to employers. Certifications like the Certified General Manager option from the American Institute for Business Management and Communication or the Certified General Manager option from the Global Association for Quality Management can also enhance your resume and show employers that you have the necessary skills to do the job. 

8. Loss control consultant  

Average annual salary: $86,880 [9]

Your goal as a loss control consultant in a commercial environment is to mitigate risk. You'll assess a place's potential for workplace hazards, safety issues, theft risks, inventory loss, security issues, and anything else that might lead to a financial loss and recommend how the company can improve them. A larger company might hire you to work full-time, or you can work independently for multiple companies. Insurance companies may hire you to evaluate their clients as well. 

As a loss control consultant, you'll usually need a bachelor's degree in a business-related field, consumer science, or occupational health and safety. You'll also need to gain some experience related to loss control through an internship or entry-level position. Adding certifications to your resume, such as the  LPCertified (LPC) option from the Loss Prevention Foundation, may also help you find higher-paying jobs in this field.

Qualify for one of the highest-paying retail jobs. 

From pharmacists to general managers, you can earn a competitive salary in various ways while working in retail. Most of these positions have flexible career paths. 

While many of the highest-paying retail jobs do not require formal education, taking courses and adding certifications to your resume can help enhance your skills and catch the attention of potential employers. Start today at Coursera with courses from the top educational institutions in the world, like the Retail Digital Supply Chain course from the Wharton School of Business or Management of Fashion and Luxury Companies offered by Bocconi University.