Ranked by median pay, with jobs and rent share; from BLS and Census data.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
8 metro areas in Oregon publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 45,490 jobs. The three largest employers of retail salespersons are Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro (28,230 jobs), Salem (4,550 jobs), Eugene-Springfield (4,090 jobs), which hold 81.1% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $35,410 to $37,720 a year, against $36,770 for the whole state and $35,410 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $35,410 a year for retail salespersons (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $27,210 and the highest-paid tenth over $47,890). Employment is projected to change by -0.3% between 2025 and 2035, with about 520,600 openings a year including replacements. The typical entry route is: No formal educational credential; on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. Education requirements are BLS's typical ones, not legal rules; many states also license this work, so check the state board before applying.
Higher pay is not the whole story: look at the rent share column (yearly rent divided by median pay) and the price level (100 is the national average). A metro with a lower salary but cheaper housing can leave more money at the end of the month. The location quotient shows where the occupation is concentrated; employers cluster where it is above 1, which usually means more openings and more competition among employers for the same skills.
Retail salespersons in Oregon: the highest median pay is in the Bend, OR area ($37,720 a year); the most jobs are in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area (28,230). Statewide the median is $36,770 with 48,090 jobs. Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation are listed; click a column to sort.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ | Price level (US = 100) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend, OR | 3,190 | $37,720 | $32,820 | $53,130 | 1.18 | 54% | 103.6 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 28,230 | $37,340 | $34,650 | $50,190 | 0.93 | 55% | 105.4 |
| Grants Pass, OR | 740 | $36,940 | $31,540 | $54,520 | 0.97 | 39% | 97.8 |
| Albany, OR | 1,040 | $35,990 | $31,130 | $48,550 | 0.88 | 44% | 102.1 |
| Medford, OR | 2,840 | $35,840 | $30,990 | $47,490 | 1.27 | 45% | 101.4 |
| Salem, OR | 4,550 | $35,760 | $31,550 | $47,630 | 0.96 | 47% | 103.6 |
| Corvallis, OR | 810 | $35,410 | $30,860 | $48,140 | 0.84 | 48% | 104.0 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 4,090 | $35,410 | $30,850 | $46,870 | 1.03 | 46% | 101.6 |
National page: Retail salespersons →Cities of Oregon
Rent uses the metro median gross rent (ACS) and appears only for metros that contain a city of this guide. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure or we have no rent for that metro.
In the Bend, OR area, with a median of $37,720 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area, with 28,230 jobs.