Retail sales salary: what store sellers at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Nordstrom and Lowe's are paid

A store seller in the US is paid an hourly wage and, in most sales seats, commission or a bonus on what they sell, and the big retailers state the mix in their own postings. AT&T says its new Retail Sales Consultants "earn between $43,300 to $75,000, including hourly rate and our uncapped commission opportunities"; Verizon offers "$16.00 to $21.00 per hour in base pay, plus up to $18,000 a year in individual-based commissions if you hit all your sales goals"; Nordstrom pays commission that on "apparel, shoes, and accessories sales typically range from 3% to 14.5%" (the employers' postings as read on 7 Nov 2026). This guide sets those plans side by side, shows what store sales postings on this board state, compares them with what the government counts retail salespeople earning, and measures every board figure again whenever the board changes.

Right now this board has 50,198 open retail and consumer sales roles, and 45% of those open to US candidates state their pay. The retail sales jobs page lists every one; the car sales salary and in-home sales salary guides cover the dealership floor and selling in customers' homes.

Contents

1. The short answer
2. Wireless and cable stores
3. Department and specialty stores
4. Home improvement stores
5. Store pay on this board, by employer
6. Against the government's figures
7. How retail commission works
8. Getting in without experience
9. How to judge a store offer
10. Quick answers

1. The short answer

Each line is the employer's own wording in its postings as read on 7 Nov 2026; a store in another state may post another base. The government counts retail salespersons earning a median of $35,410 a year across all of retail in May 2025, commission included (BLS).

2. Wireless and cable stores

• AT&T hires Retail Sales Consultants for its own stores and states a first-year range that already includes commission: "Our new Retail Sales Consultant's earn between $43,300 to $75,000, including hourly rate and our uncapped commission opportunities for our top sellers."
• Verizon names the base and the commission apart: "$16.00 to $21.00 per hour in base pay, plus up to $18,000 a year in individual-based commissions if you hit all your sales goals," and "top performers could make an extra $14,500 or more in individual-based commissions, giving you the chance to earn a total of $65,000+ to $75,500+ annually."
• T-Mobile starts its Mobile Associates on an hourly base with a training premium, then moves them to an incentive plan: "Hourly Base Pay: $18.00, plus $5.00 per hour training pay. Within the first 90 days working at T-Mobile, Mobile Associates receive on-the-job training and are eligible for hourly training pay. Once completed, Mobile Associates promote to the Mobile Expert role and become eligible for an annualized incentive target of $18,000/year."

3. Department and specialty stores

Nordstrom is unusual in stating its commission rates outright: "At Nordstrom, the commission most selling employees receive varies based on the merchandise they sell. Apparel, shoes, and accessories sales typically range from 3% to 14.5%. The commission Beauty and Men's Fragrance sales roles typically receive is 3%." Its postings add that a role "may be eligible for performance-based incentives/bonuses." A commission percentage applies to what the seller sells, so the same rate pays very differently at a store and a department with high-priced merchandise.

4. Home improvement stores

Lowe's Sales Specialists, who sell flooring, kitchens, appliances and installed projects on the store floor, are paid hourly with "additional bonus opportunities" on their sales performance. Larger seats at the big retailers sell to businesses and pros and post a salary instead: Target's Specialty Sales Executive Team Leader posting states "The pay range is $64,000.00 - $128,000."

5. Store pay on this board, by employer

The table names an employer's typical pay only where most of its postings state a range and they hold at least three distinct ranges, on the board's one measure: each posting's range on a full year's scale (an hourly rate times 2,080 hours), one sample per title. Where a posting states a range that includes commission, as AT&T's does, the figure is that range; where it states only the hourly base, the commission comes on top.

6. Against the government's figures

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics counts a median annual wage of $35,410 for retail salespersons across all of retail in May 2025, commission included. By kind of store, the medians were $34,880 in telecommunications, $36,200 in electronics and appliance stores and $34,480 in general merchandise stores, while salespeople at automobile dealers earned $44,680 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 41-2031). In telecommunications a quarter earned less than $29,120 and the top tenth more than $46,230 (BLS, May 2025).

The retailers' own ranges sit above those medians because they describe plans at their goals: AT&T's $43,300 floor for new consultants and Verizon's $65,000+ for top sellers. The government's figure counts every store seller, part-time staff included.

7. How retail commission works

Retail sales pay comes in three shapes, and the postings say which:

• A percentage of each sale, as Nordstrom pays: the rate depends on the department, and the seller earns it on everything they ring up.
• Commission against goals, as the wireless carriers pay: "up to $18,000 a year ... if you hit all your sales goals" (Verizon) or an incentive target (T-Mobile), paid on lines, devices, accessories and protection plans counted toward the goal.
• A bonus on top of an hourly wage, as home improvement stores pay on sales performance.

What a posting rarely states, and a manager can: what counts toward a goal, whether a returned item or a cancelled line is taken back from commission already paid, and how often the goals change.

8. Getting in without experience

Store sales hires more people new to sales than almost any other selling job, and the big retailers train them. AT&T's postings say: "No sales experience? We'll provide you with the tools, training and coaching needed to help you meet and exceed your goals!" Verizon's begin "Whether you're just starting out or have years of sales experience," and T-Mobile pays a training premium for the first 90 days. Many store seats are part time or hired for the season: the board lists every open sales associate role, the part-time sales jobs, the seasonal and holiday sales jobs and the wireless store and carrier seats. The sales jobs without a degree guide covers the other seats that hire on drive rather than a resume.

9. How to judge a store offer

• Ask for the hourly base in your store, since each retailer posts a range that varies by state and city.
• Ask what a seller at goal, or at the department's usual commission, earned last year in that store, not the plan's ceiling.
• Ask what counts toward commission and what a return or a cancelled line takes back.
• Ask about hours. An hourly base is paid on the hours scheduled, so a part-time seat earns a part of the range.
• Ask what a promotion changes, such as T-Mobile's step from Mobile Associate to Mobile Expert, when its incentive target begins.

10. Quick answers

Do retail sales associates get commission? Many do: Nordstrom pays a commission that its postings put at 3% to 14.5% on apparel, shoes and accessories, the wireless carriers pay commission against sales goals, and home improvement stores pay bonuses on sales performance (postings read 7 Nov 2026).

How much commission does Nordstrom pay? Nordstrom's postings state that apparel, shoes and accessories sales typically range from 3% to 14.5%, and Beauty and Men's Fragrance roles typically receive 3% (postings read 7 Nov 2026).

How much does an AT&T retail sales consultant make? AT&T's postings state that new Retail Sales Consultants earn between $43,300 and $75,000, including the hourly rate and uncapped commission (postings read 7 Nov 2026).

How much does Verizon pay retail sales? Verizon's postings state $16.00 to $21.00 an hour in base pay plus up to $18,000 a year in commission at all sales goals (postings read 7 Nov 2026).

What do retail salespeople earn on average? The government counts a median of $35,410 a year for retail salespersons in May 2025, commission included (BLS).

Where can I see retail sales jobs? The retail sales jobs page lists every open store and consumer sales seat on this board with the pay it posts.