First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Also called: Art Gallery Director, Auto Leasing Manager, Auto Parts Manager, Auto Rental Supervisor, Automobile Leasing Supervisor, Bakery Manager, Branch Manager, Branch Store Manager
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of retail sales workers in an establishment or department.
What first-line supervisors of retail sales workers do
Typical tasks
- Provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
- Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or in performing services for customers.
- Examine merchandise to ensure that it is correctly priced and displayed and that it functions as advertised.
- Monitor sales activities to ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods.
- Instruct staff on how to handle difficult and complicated sales.
- Assign employees to specific duties.
- Keep records of purchases, sales, and requisitions.
- Perform work activities of subordinates, such as cleaning and organizing shelves and displays and selling merchandise.
- Plan and prepare work schedules and keep records of employees' work schedules and time cards.
- Review inventory and sales records to prepare reports for management and budget departments.
- Inventory stock and reorder when inventory drops to a specified level.
- Establish and implement policies, goals, objectives, and procedures for the department.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers salary
The median annual wage for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers is $48,520 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $33,120 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $77,080. The mean annual wage is $53,380.
The mean hourly wage of $25.00 is 3.4× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $48,520 → in 3 years $52,500 → in 5 years $55,300 → in 10 years $63,000 (10-year range $54,200–$73,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.6% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers United States | スーパー店長 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $48,520 | ¥3.85M ≈ $24,468 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $63,000 | ¥5.26M |
| Outlook score | 38 | 52 |
| AI replacement risk | 46% Moderate | 43% Moderate |
| Workers | 1.1M | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become first-line supervisors of retail sales workers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as first-line supervisors of retail sales workers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.