Quick answer
The core retail industry statistics come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Census Bureau. US retail trade employed 15.5 million people in October 2026, paid an average of $26.55 an hour, and had a monthly quit rate of 3.1% in September 2026, against 2.1% for all industries. E-commerce made up 17.1% of retail sales in the second quarter of 2026.
Retail industry statistics describe one of the largest and most hourly workforces in the country. According to the BLS Current Employment Statistics survey released November 6, 2026, retail trade employed 15,501,300 people in October 2026 (seasonally adjusted, preliminary). Those workers averaged 30.2 hours a week at $26.55 an hour, and in September 475,000 of them quit. Below are the latest retail employment statistics by store type, sales and e-commerce from the Census Bureau, wages by occupation, the retail turnover rate, tenure and benefits, and the 2026 holiday outlook, each with its original source and date.
Retail employment statistics
The BLS counts payroll jobs at retail establishments every month in Table B-1 of the Employment Situation. All figures here are seasonally adjusted; October 2026 is preliminary.
- Retail trade employed 15,501,300 people in October 2026, up 6,000 from September. BLS listed retail among the industries where employment "showed little change" over the month.
- A year earlier, in October 2025, the figure was 15,438,000. Workzenly calculation: retail added about 63,300 jobs over the year, a gain of 0.4%.
- Total nonfarm employment was 159,293,000 in October 2026. Workzenly calculation: retail held about 9.7% of all US payroll jobs.
- 13,403,000 retail employees were production and nonsupervisory workers in October 2026, according to the BLS Industries at a Glance page for retail trade. Workzenly calculation: that is 86% of the retail workforce.
- Retail had 1,058,376 private-sector establishments in the first quarter of 2026 (preliminary), per the same BLS page.
- In the first quarter of 2026, retail establishments created 794,000 jobs through openings and expansions and lost 717,000 through closings and contractions (BLS Business Employment Dynamics, seasonally adjusted).
Two store types account for more than 40% of retail jobs. The chart shows October 2026 employment by subsector.
- General merchandise retailers employed 3,287,500, including 2,327,300 at warehouse clubs, supercenters and other general merchandise stores and 960,300 at department stores.
- Food and beverage retailers, mostly grocery stores, employed 3,243,400.
- Automobile dealers alone employed 1,277,900.
What this means for employers: Retail headcount is flat, so growth comes from taking share, not from a rising tide. With 86% of the workforce in hourly, nonsupervisory roles, the main labor levers are schedules, hours and retention rather than headcount. Our retail workforce guide covers how store operators manage that.
Retail sales and e-commerce
The Census Bureau publishes retail sales monthly and e-commerce quarterly. Dollar figures are adjusted for seasonal variation but not for price changes, so part of each increase is inflation.
- Retail and food services sales were $745.0 billion in September 2026, up 0.8% from August and 6.3% from September 2025, according to the Advance Monthly Retail Trade report released October 15, 2026.
- Retail alone, excluding food services, was $652.1 billion in September 2026, up 6.2% from a year earlier.
- Nonstore retailers, which include online sellers, had $124.3 billion in September sales, up 8.2% year over year. Gasoline stations rose 28.1%, the largest gain, while health and personal care stores fell 1.2%.
- E-commerce sales were $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 3.8% from the first quarter and 12.2% from a year earlier. Total retail sales grew 6.7% over the same year, according to the Quarterly Retail E-Commerce report released August 18, 2026.
- Total retail sales were $1,986.5 billion in the second quarter of 2026, and e-commerce was 17.1% of the total.
On a not seasonally adjusted basis, e-commerce peaks in the holiday quarter: it was 18.3% of sales in the fourth quarter of 2025. The Census Bureau has scheduled the October 2026 monthly sales report for November 17, 2026 and the third-quarter e-commerce report for November 19, 2026. Note that since April 2025 the Census estimates cover only businesses with paid employees.
What this means for employers: Online sales grew nearly twice as fast as total retail over the past year, which shifts store labor toward picking, packing and pickup counters. Plan those tasks as named shifts so they do not quietly pull staff off the sales floor.
Retail wages and hours
The BLS reports average pay and hours for retail employees monthly in Table B-3 and Table B-2. These are means across all employees, seasonally adjusted, October 2026 preliminary.
- All retail employees averaged $26.55 an hour in October 2026, up from $25.72 in October 2025. Workzenly calculation: a 3.2% increase, about the same as the 3.1% rise for all private employees ($36.85 to $38.00).
- Workzenly calculation: retail's average hourly pay was about 70% of the private-sector average.
- Production and nonsupervisory retail workers averaged $22.45 an hour and 30.7 hours a week (BLS Industries at a Glance).
- The average retail workweek was 30.2 hours, compared with 34.4 for all private employees and 25.5 in leisure and hospitality. A year earlier it was 29.9 hours.
- Average weekly earnings in retail were $801.81, against $1,307.20 for the private sector. Workzenly calculation: 52 weeks at that average is about $41,694 a year.
- Full-time retail workers had median weekly earnings of $913 in 2025, up from $876 in 2024 (BLS Current Population Survey, via Industries at a Glance).
Occupational pay is lower than the industry average because the average includes managers, pharmacists and auto sales staff. The table shows the five largest retail occupations in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data for May 2025, as listed on the BLS retail trade page.
| Occupation | Employment in retail | Median hourly | Mean hourly | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail salespersons | 3,550,380 | $17.01 | $17.87 | $35,380 |
| Cashiers | 2,552,720 | $15.90 | $15.96 | $33,070 |
| Stock clerks and order fillers | 1,828,300 | $17.34 | $17.73 | $36,060 |
| First-line supervisors of retail sales workers | 997,650 | $23.18 | $25.40 | $48,220 |
| Customer service representatives | 411,850 | $17.96 | $19.05 | $37,350 |
Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, as published on the BLS Industries at a Glance page for retail trade (NAICS 44-45).
What this means for employers: With cashiers near $16 an hour at the median, many stores pay close to their state floor, so each January increase on our minimum wage by state list moves your labor budget. A 30-hour average week also means many staff sit near part-time thresholds; see how many hours is part time before you set hours that affect benefits eligibility.
Retail turnover rate and hiring
The BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) measures monthly openings, hires and separations by industry. All rates below are seasonally adjusted; September 2026 is preliminary, released November 3, 2026.
| Measure, monthly rate | Retail, Sept 2025 | Retail, Sept 2026 | All industries, Sept 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job openings | 3.7% (588,000) | 4.3% (698,000) | 4.5% (7,523,000) |
| Hires | 3.6% (550,000) | 4.5% (704,000) | 3.4% (5,402,000) |
| Quits | 2.0% (312,000) | 3.1% (475,000) | 2.1% (3,365,000) |
| Total separations | 3.2% (495,000) | 4.1% (639,000) | 3.3% (5,319,000) |
Source: BLS, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, Tables 1 to 4, seasonally adjusted, levels in parentheses.
- The retail turnover rate, measured as total separations, was 4.1% in September 2026, down from 4.3% in each of June, July and August.
- Retail quits rose by 163,000 from September 2025, a Workzenly calculation of a 52% increase. The quit rate has been 2.9% to 3.1% every month from June to September 2026.
- Workzenly calculation: the retail quit rate was about 1.5 times the all-industry rate.
- Retail hired more people than it lost in September: 704,000 hires against 639,000 separations.
The BLS retail trade page also lists September openings, hires and separations of 713,000, 690,000 and 636,000. Those differ slightly from the JOLTS tables above; we use the seasonally adjusted JOLTS tables throughout. For every industry, see our employee turnover statistics.
What this means for employers: A 3.1% monthly quit rate means a 20-person store can expect to replace someone most months. Hiring is running ahead of exits, so candidates exist; the cost is in training and in the gaps while a role is open. Keeping a short list of cross-trained staff who can pick up open shifts protects coverage.
Tenure, benefits and safety for retail workers
The BLS Employee Tenure report gives median years with the current employer every two years.
- Retail workers had a median tenure of 3.2 years in January 2026, up from 2.9 years in January 2024. BLS notes that January 2026 data use a new industry classification, so the comparison is not exact.
- That compares with 3.9 years for the private sector and 4.1 years for all wage and salary workers. Leisure and hospitality was lower, at 2.4 years.
- Retail tenure has stayed between 2.8 and 3.2 years in every survey since January 2016.
Benefits and other figures below come from the BLS retail trade Industries at a Glance page, which draws on the National Compensation Survey, union membership data and injury and fatality data.
- In 2026, 74% of private retail workers had access to paid sick leave, 72% to paid vacation, 57% to employer health care benefits and 78% to a retirement plan, though only 40% participated in one. Our paid sick leave statistics compare these with other industries.
- Retail employers spent $27.07 per hour worked on total compensation in the second quarter of 2026: $20.71 in wages and salaries (76.5%) and $6.36 in benefits (23.5%), including $1.36 for paid leave.
- 4.0% of retail wage and salary workers were union members in 2025 and 4.7% were represented by a union. BLS notes the 2025 figures are 11-month averages that exclude October.
- Retail had 3.0 recordable injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers in 2024, and 258 work-related deaths in 2024, down from 308 in 2023.
What this means for employers: One in four retail workers lacks paid sick leave access, but many states and cities now require it regardless of industry. Check your obligations and track accruals by hour worked, since short retail weeks make accrual math easy to get wrong.
Holiday season hiring and sales
The National Retail Federation (NRF), the industry's trade association, released its 2026 forecast on October 15, 2026. These are NRF forecasts based on economic modeling, not government statistics.
- NRF expects November and December retail sales to grow 4.2% over 2025, to $1.013 trillion. Holiday sales in 2025 rose 3.1% to $972 billion.
- NRF's figure excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, and defines the season as November 1 through December 31.
- Retailers are expected to hire 325,000 to 375,000 seasonal workers, compared with an estimated 356,000 seasonal jobs in 2025. Workzenly calculation: that range equals about 2.1% to 2.4% of October 2026 retail employment.
- NRF describes retail as the nation's largest private-sector employer and says it supports 55 million US jobs. That count includes jobs indirectly supported by retail, so it is much larger than the BLS figure of 15.5 million retail trade jobs. The two numbers measure different things.
What this means for employers: Seasonal staff need the same onboarding paperwork as permanent staff and often start right before the busiest weeks. Build holiday schedules early with a weekly schedule template or scheduling software, and watch hours for regular staff so the peak does not create unplanned overtime. Our comparison of retail scheduling software lists tools built for this.
About this data
These retail industry statistics come from federal sources and one industry body. The BLS Current Employment Statistics survey (employment, hours and earnings) is monthly, published on the first Friday of the following month; October 2026 figures are preliminary and will be revised. JOLTS is monthly with about a five-week lag; September 2026 figures are preliminary. Census retail sales are monthly and e-commerce estimates quarterly. OEWS wages are annual (May 2025 here). Employee tenure is every two years (January 2026 here). The NRF forecast is annual.
Definitions: retail trade is NAICS sectors 44 and 45 and excludes restaurants, which BLS counts in leisure and hospitality. CES averages cover all employees, full- and part-time. JOLTS rates are monthly counts as a percent of employment, not annual turnover. Where we compare, add or divide figures, the text labels it a Workzenly calculation.
We review this page when new releases come out. Journalists, students and bloggers are welcome to cite it with a link to this page.
More workforce statistics: Restaurant industry statistics · Part-time employment statistics · Employee turnover statistics · Small business statistics.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Employment Situation, October 2026 (November 6, 2026). bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Table B-1, Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry sector and selected industry detail, October 2026. bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t17.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Table B-2, Average weekly hours of all employees, October 2026. bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t18.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Table B-3, Average hourly and weekly earnings of all employees, October 2026. bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t19.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Industries at a Glance: Retail Trade, NAICS 44-45 (accessed November 13, 2026). bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag44-45.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, JOLTS Tables 1 to 4, job openings, hires, total separations and quits by industry, September 2026 (November 3, 2026). bls.gov/news.release/jolts.t04.htm
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employee Tenure, Table 5, Median years of tenure with current employer by industry, selected years, 2016 to 2026 (January 2026 data). bls.gov/news.release/tenure.t05.htm
- U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, September 2026, release CB26-165 (October 15, 2026). census.gov/retail/marts/www/marts_current.pdf
- U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, 2nd Quarter 2026, release CB26-133 (August 18, 2026). census.gov/retail/mrts/www/data/pdf/ec_current.pdf
- National Retail Federation, "NRF Forecasts 2026 Holiday Sales Growth as Consumers Remain Resilient," October 15, 2026. nrf.com
Frequently asked questions
How many people work in retail in the US?
US retail trade employed 15,501,300 people in October 2026 (seasonally adjusted, preliminary), according to the BLS Current Employment Statistics survey released November 6, 2026. That is about 9.7% of all nonfarm payroll jobs. General merchandise retailers and food and beverage retailers each employed about 3.2 to 3.3 million people.
What is the retail turnover rate?
In September 2026, retail trade had a monthly quit rate of 3.1% and a total separations rate of 4.1%, according to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey released November 3, 2026. The quit rate for all industries was 2.1%. Retail quits rose to 475,000 from 312,000 in September 2025.
How much do retail workers make per hour?
All retail employees averaged $26.55 an hour in October 2026, and production and nonsupervisory retail workers averaged $22.45, according to BLS. That compares with $38.00 for all private-sector employees. In May 2025 occupational data, the median hourly wage was $15.90 for cashiers and $17.01 for retail salespersons.
How many hours a week do retail workers work?
Retail employees averaged 30.2 hours a week in October 2026, seasonally adjusted, according to the BLS Current Employment Statistics survey. The average for all private-sector employees was 34.4 hours. Production and nonsupervisory retail workers averaged 30.7 hours. These are averages across full-time and part-time staff.
What share of retail sales is e-commerce?
E-commerce accounted for 17.1% of total US retail sales in the second quarter of 2026, seasonally adjusted, according to the Census Bureau report released August 18, 2026. E-commerce sales were $340.2 billion, up 12.2% from a year earlier, while total retail sales rose 6.7%.
How many seasonal workers do retailers hire for the holidays?
The National Retail Federation forecast on October 15, 2026 that retailers would hire between 325,000 and 375,000 seasonal workers for the 2026 holidays, compared with an estimated 356,000 seasonal jobs in 2025. NRF also forecast November and December sales of $1.013 trillion, up 4.2%.