SOC 41-2031 · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro

Retail Salespersons Salary in Cincinnati, OH

The average salary for retail salespersons in Cincinnati, Ohio is $34,730 a year ($16.70 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $30,810: half of the 28,670 people in this job in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 7% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($37,482).

$34,730average per year

$16.70 / hourMedian $30,810Take-home ≈ $28,954

  • $25K10th
  • $29K25th
  • $31KMedian
  • $37K75th
  • $46K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

28,670people in this job
-7%vs U.S. metro average
#5 of 12Ohio metros
95cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Retail Salespersons pay range in Cincinnati

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,300 a year or less, while the top 10% make $46,350 or more. The middle half of retail salespersons in Cincinnati earn between $28,550 and $36,770.

  • $25K10th
  • $29K25th
  • $31KMedian
  • $37K75th
  • $46K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$34,730$2,894$16.70
Median$30,810$2,568$14.81
Entry level (25th percentile)$28,550$2,379$13.73
Experienced (75th percentile)$36,770$3,064$17.68

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Retail Salespersons salary after taxes in Cincinnati

On the average salary of $34,730, a single filer in Cincinnati takes home about $28,954 a year, or $2,413 a month and $1,114 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.

The Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in IN$29,074$2,423
Working in KY$28,988$2,416
Working in OH$28,954$2,413

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.

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Is Cincinnati a good place for retail salespersons? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Cincinnati area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.4), so the average $34,730 buys what about $36,416 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Cincinnati ($50,170). A typical home costs $311,270, or 9.0 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $34,730 is worth in another city

Retail Salespersons salary in other Ohio cities

Cincinnati ranks 5th of 12 Ohio metro areas for this job; Springfield pays the most ($35,990).

All Retail Salespersons salaries in Ohio

Highest-paying cities for retail salespersons

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($47,420).

Retail Salespersons salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Retail Salespersons in Cincinnati, OH.

Retail Salespersons salary in Cincinnati: questions

How much do retail salespersons make an hour in Cincinnati?

$16.70 an hour on average, and $14.81 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level retail salespersons salary in Cincinnati?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,300 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,550, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the retail salespersons take-home pay in Cincinnati?

About $28,954 a year ($2,413 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,730. Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.

Do retail salespersons earn more in Cincinnati than elsewhere?

The average here is 7% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($37,482).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 41-2031; area Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN (17140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.6%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Cincinnati's local income tax (1.8%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.04, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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