A Gun Salesman's Salary
by Rick Suttle
Gun salesmen earn higher salaries in some states.
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Gun shops and sporting goods stores depend on firearms salesmen to help customers select guns and ammunition and coordinate the required background checks. Guns salesmen also clean and display guns to increase interest from customers and generate sales. Some sell their guns online or independently from their homes. A gun salesman's salary can vary, depending on his experience, the size and budget of his employer and the states or district in which he works.
Salary Between $35,000 and $40,000
The average salary of gun salesmen was $38,000 as of 2014, according to the job site Simply Hired. They may also earn commissions, according to the number of sales they make. Some retailers prefer hiring retail sales workers, including gun salesmen, who have at least high school diplomas or GEDs, although high school educations are not always required. Employers may also prefer hiring those with one or more years of experience in retail or gun sales. Gun salesmen must have a strong knowledge of firearms and the federal regulations that accompany gun sales. Those who own gun shops usually need licenses to sell guns, which may require taking special courses and passing certification exams in some states. Other essential requirements are physical stamina and persistence and interpersonal, communication, decision-making and closing skills.
Top Pay in D.C.
Average salaries for gun salesmen varied the most within the South region, according to Simply Hired, where they earned the lowest salaries of $30,000 in Mississippi and the highest salaries of $60,000 in Washington, D.C. Those in the Midwest made $30,000 to $41,000 per year in South Dakota and Minnesota, respectively. Gun salesmen earned $31,000 in Montana and $43,000 in both Alaska and California -- the lowest and highest salaries in the Northeast. In the Northeast, they made the most in New York and the least in Maine at $46,000 and $34,000, respectively.
Earnings Approximately $3,000 Less Than Retail Sales Supervisors
While gun salesmen made $38,000 in 2014, according to Simply Hired, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an average annual salary of $25,310 for retail sales workers as of May 2012. Gun salesmen may earn more than most retail sales workers because the job requires more technical knowledge. They are also specialty salespersons, who usually earn more than general retail sales workers. The commissions on gun sales are also higher than many retail items, such as clothes, because guns are more expensive.
Average Job Growth
The BLS estimates a 10 percent increase in employment for retail sales workers from 2012 to 2022, which is statistically almost as fast as the 11 percent national rate for all occupations. Population increases and demand for retail sales workers should increase job opportunities for them. Sharp increases in online sales of most products, including guns, may temper job growth. Gun salesmen may find more job opportunities in warehouse clubs or supercenters, a retail segment experiencing strong growth in the United States in the salary review period.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: What Retail Sales Workers Do
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: How to Become a Retail Sales Worker
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Retail Sales Workers: Job Outlook
Simply Hired: Average Gun Salesman Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics: Retail Sales Workers
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives: Conduct of Business - Licenses
Simply Hired: Average Gun Salesman Salaries in ME, NY and MA
Simply Hired: Average Gun Salesman Salaries in MT, AK and CA
Simply Hired: Average Gun Salesman Salaries in MS and DC
Simply Hired: Average Gun Salesman Salaries in SD, IL and MN
Suttle, Rick. "A Gun Salesman's Salary." Work - Chron.com, http://work.chron.com/gun-salesmans-salary-29159.html. Accessed 19 January 2020.
Suttle, Rick. (n.d.). A Gun Salesman's Salary. Work - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/gun-salesmans-salary-29159.html
Suttle, Rick. "A Gun Salesman's Salary" accessed January 19, 2020. http://work.chron.com/gun-salesmans-salary-29159.html
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