Retail Salespersons in California
The median retail salesperson in California earns $38,440 a year and keeps $32,546 of it — $2,712 a month.
Take-home pay, California
$32,546
from $38,440 gross · $1,252 every two weeks · 15.3% effective tax rate
Gross median from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 state estimates, May 2025 estimates (source file). Tax computed here from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and California revenue department tables. Single filer, 2026 tax year, annual liability rather than paycheck withholding.
By filing status
Filing status changes the standard deduction and the bracket widths, so the same salary yields a different answer.
| Filing status | Federal tax | State tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $2,433 | $520 | $32,546 |
| Married filing jointly | $624 | $13 | $34,862 |
| Head of household | $1,429 | $520 | $33,550 |
Every state, ranked by what you keep
Gross pay and take-home pay do not rank the same way. A state can pay less and still leave you with more.
| # | State | Median salary | Take-home | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $39,560 | $33,966 | 14% |
| 2 | California | $38,440 | $32,546 | 15% |
| 3 | Alaska | $37,290 | $32,143 | 14% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $38,500 | $31,971 | 17% |
| 5 | Colorado | $37,950 | $31,711 | 16% |
| 6 | Vermont | $37,400 | $31,415 | 16% |
| 7 | Hawaii | $37,790 | $31,369 | 17% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $36,200 | $31,267 | 14% |
| 9 | North Dakota | $36,040 | $31,138 | 14% |
| 10 | New York | $37,720 | $31,048 | 18% |
| 11 | New Jersey | $36,520 | $30,963 | 15% |
| 12 | Connecticut | $36,490 | $30,783 | 16% |
| 13 | Arizona | $35,720 | $30,391 | 15% |
| 14 | Montana | $36,270 | $30,375 | 16% |
| 15 | Maine | $36,640 | $30,287 | 17% |
| 16 | Minnesota | $36,370 | $30,276 | 17% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $36,610 | $29,986 | 18% |
| 18 | South Dakota | $34,370 | $29,796 | 13% |
| 19 | Wyoming | $34,310 | $29,748 | 13% |
| 20 | Nevada | $34,190 | $29,652 | 13% |
| 21 | Florida | $34,010 | $29,507 | 13% |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $34,860 | $29,500 | 15% |
| 23 | Maryland | $35,510 | $29,389 | 17% |
| 24 | Idaho | $35,080 | $29,361 | 16% |
| 25 | Oregon | $36,770 | $29,344 | 20% |
| 26 | Delaware | $35,360 | $29,306 | 17% |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $34,480 | $29,149 | 15% |
| 28 | Illinois | $35,370 | $28,994 | 18% |
| 29 | Utah | $33,900 | $28,859 | 15% |
| 30 | Michigan | $34,640 | $28,792 | 17% |
| 31 | Virginia | $34,240 | $28,537 | 17% |
| 32 | New Mexico | $33,300 | $28,472 | 14% |
| 33 | Missouri | $33,460 | $28,430 | 15% |
| 34 | Tennessee | $31,950 | $27,852 | 13% |
| 35 | Nebraska | $31,870 | $27,199 | 15% |
| 36 | Kansas | $32,180 | $27,027 | 16% |
| 37 | Texas | $30,800 | $26,928 | 13% |
| 38 | Ohio | $30,800 | $26,863 | 13% |
| 39 | Iowa | $31,360 | $26,838 | 14% |
| 40 | North Carolina | $31,370 | $26,643 | 15% |
| 41 | Indiana | $31,530 | $26,614 | 16% |
| 42 | South Carolina | $30,690 | $26,527 | 14% |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $31,200 | $26,291 | 16% |
| 44 | Georgia | $30,840 | $26,170 | 15% |
| 45 | Louisiana | $29,490 | $25,377 | 14% |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $29,660 | $25,159 | 15% |
| 47 | Arkansas | $29,270 | $25,103 | 14% |
| 48 | Kentucky | $29,650 | $25,084 | 15% |
| 49 | Alabama | $30,040 | $25,080 | 17% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $28,640 | $24,779 | 13% |
| 51 | West Virginia | $28,950 | $24,747 | 15% |
Retail Salespersons in California: questions
What is the average retail salespersons salary in California?›
The median is $38,440 a year, about $18.48 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 estimates. Median means half of retail salespersons in California earn more and half earn less.
What is the take-home pay on $38,440 in California?›
About $32,546 a year — $2,712 a month, or $1,252 every two weeks — for a single filer in the 2026 tax year, after $2,433 federal income tax, $2,941 in Social Security and Medicare, and $520 California income tax.
Do retail salespersons earn more in California than elsewhere?›
Yes. At $38,440, California pays $4,070 above the $34,370 median across all states, ranking 3 of 51 on gross pay. On take-home pay after tax it ranks 2.
Where do retail salespersons keep the most money?›
Ranked by take-home rather than gross, the best-paying states for this occupation are Washington ($33,966), California ($32,546), Alaska ($32,143). Gross pay and take-home pay do not rank the same way, because state income tax varies from nothing to over 10%.
What is the effective tax rate on $38,440 in California?›
15.3% of gross pay, combining federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax. The marginal rate — what you would pay on the next dollar earned — is 23.7%.