$Who Earns What

How much does a parts salesperson make?

US Parts Salespersons

Answer: A typical parts salesperson in the United States makes $38,630 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$38,630

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 270,000 people work in this job. Below the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$28,240
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$38,630
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$62,890
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

47 of 100
not many

Parts salesperson pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Parts salesperson pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$28,240$38,630$62,890about 270,000
States where parts salespersons earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
North Dakota$48,600about 2,000
Colorado$47,660about 5,000
Minnesota$47,030about 6,000
Washington$46,830about 6,000
Iowa$46,670about 4,000

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, experience and detailed knowledge of vehicle or machine parts can help; jobs in parts stores, car dealerships, or companies selling parts in bulk may pay differently. Local demand, living costs, and how much responsibility a job carries can also affect pay.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$38,630
North Dakota$48,600
Colorado$47,660
Minnesota$47,030
Washington$46,830
Iowa$46,670
North Carolina$32,480
South Carolina$32,180
Louisiana$31,310

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a parts salesperson do?

Sell spare and replacement parts and equipment in repair shop or parts store.

What's a typical day like?

They answer customers at the counter or by phone, using a catalog or computer to match a car or old part with the right replacement. They fill orders, check stock, and label or shelve parts.

How to get this job

Many U.S. parts-sales jobs require no formal education, though some employers prefer a high-school diploma or GED; most new workers learn customer service and parts systems on the job. A registered Parts Salesperson apprenticeship is another way in.

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.

Did you know?

A parts salesperson may find the right replacement by examining an old part or listening to a description of what is broken—not just by looking up a part number.

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY