Parts Salespersons: Career Profile
Sell spare and replacement parts and equipment in repair shop or parts store.
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The Daily Work of Parts Salespersons Take On?
Typical responsibilities of parts salespersons span:
- 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
Top parts salespersons draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Parts Salespersons Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- 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)
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 990,584 parts salespersons working in the United States today. This occupation is expected 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 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Parts Salespersons Salary by State
| 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 |
Where Parts Salespersons Earn the Most
Earnings for parts salespersons vary by region. 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 |
Top Metro Areas
| 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 concentrated in the following sectors:
| 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 |
Below are examples of industries where parts salespersons work:
Software Parts Salespersons Use
- 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)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for 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
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level parts salespersons positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with 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)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for parts salespersons typically earn programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 2 majors
References
Data on this page comes 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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