Parts Salespersons: Career Profile
Sell spare and replacement parts and equipment in repair shop or parts store.
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What Tasks Do Parts Salespersons Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of parts salespersons cover:
- Receive payment or obtain credit authorization.
- Assist customers, such as responding to customer complaints and updating them about back-ordered parts.
- Fill customer orders from stock, and place orders when requested items are out of stock.
- Receive and fill telephone orders for parts.
- Locate and label parts, and maintain inventory of stock.
- Prepare sales slips or sales contracts.
- Read catalogs, microfiche viewers, or computer displays to determine replacement part stock numbers and prices.
- Determine replacement parts required, according to inspections of old parts, customer requests, or customers' descriptions of malfunctions.
What Parts Salespersons Need to Know
Successful parts salespersons draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Appliance Parts Counter Clerk
- Automotive Parts Clerk (Auto Parts Clerk)
- Automotive Parts Counter Associate (Auto Parts Counter Associate)
- Automotive Parts Counter Person (Auto Parts Counter Person)
- Automotive Parts Counterperson (Auto Parts Counterperson)
- Automotive Parts Handler (Auto Parts Handler)
- Automotive Parts Salesperson (Auto Parts Salesperson)
- Automotive Parts Specialist (Auto Parts Specialist)
How Many Parts Salespersons Are There?
The U.S. employs around 990,584 parts salespersons working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +7.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Parts Salespersons
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $27,560 |
| Hourly median | $13.25 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile | $33,343 |
| 90th percentile | $39,127 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Parts Salespersons Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $52,000 |
| Minnesota | $47,160 |
| Alaska | $45,670 |
| New York | $45,540 |
| Hawaii | $45,520 |
| Iowa | $45,480 |
| Colorado | $45,290 |
| South Dakota | $45,140 |
| Massachusetts | $44,460 |
| Washington | $44,360 |
| Oregon | $44,330 |
| Maine | $44,300 |
| Nebraska | $44,280 |
| Arizona | $43,000 |
| Montana | $42,620 |
| California | $42,250 |
| Wyoming | $41,610 |
| Wisconsin | $40,780 |
| New Jersey | $40,700 |
| Vermont | $40,500 |
| New Hampshire | $39,780 |
| Idaho | $39,770 |
| Illinois | $38,810 |
| Rhode Island | $38,760 |
| Missouri | $38,500 |
| Maryland | $38,230 |
| Connecticut | $38,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,320 |
| Utah | $37,220 |
| Virginia | $37,140 |
| Michigan | $36,850 |
| Nevada | $36,810 |
| Kansas | $36,740 |
| Georgia | $36,730 |
| Indiana | $36,530 |
| Ohio | $36,030 |
| Delaware | $35,870 |
| North Carolina | $35,630 |
| Florida | $35,360 |
| Kentucky | $35,310 |
| South Carolina | $35,180 |
| Tennessee | $34,740 |
| Texas | $34,360 |
| New Mexico | $34,340 |
| Arkansas | $34,200 |
| Alabama | $33,230 |
| Mississippi | $31,660 |
| Oklahoma | $31,270 |
| West Virginia | $29,870 |
| Louisiana | $29,590 |
| Virgin Islands | $28,620 |
| Guam | $24,580 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,890 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for parts salespersons shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $43,396 | 9.0% | 1.41 |
| Far Western US | $42,604 | 15.1% | 0.91 |
| Rocky Mountains | $41,765 | 4.6% | 1.20 |
| New England | $41,759 | 4.5% | 1.05 |
| Middle Atlantic | $39,971 | 9.7% | 0.77 |
| Great Lakes | $37,560 | 15.1% | 1.09 |
| Southwest | $35,000 | 13.8% | 1.13 |
| Southeast | $34,817 | 27.0% | 1.13 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Parts Salespersons
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, ND | ND | $51,440 | 240 |
| Minot, ND | ND | $51,100 | 160 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $50,370 | 860 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | ND | $50,160 | 480 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $49,040 | 2,290 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $48,860 | 3,150 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | ND | $48,790 | 160 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $48,620 | 200 |
Which Industries Hire Parts Salespersons
Most parts salespersons are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 196,260 | $35,930 |
| Wholesale Trade | 50,070 | $48,600 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 11,690 | $46,880 |
| Manufacturing | 2,200 | $52,030 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1,490 | $50,550 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 930 | $45,540 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 720 | $48,300 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 670 | $40,390 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
- Inventory management software: Inventory control system software (in demand)
- Inventory management software: Inventory management systems (in demand)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of parts salespersons reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Education and Training
Typical parts salespersons positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Counter and Rental Clerks (Primary-Short)
- Retail Salespersons (Primary-Short)
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products (Supplemental)
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products (Supplemental)
- Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers (Primary-Long)
- Order Clerks (Primary-Long)
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks (Supplemental)
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring parts salespersons often complete programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 41-2022.00 (Parts Salespersons).
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