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Independent sales representative: pay, job outlook and how to get started

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$41,380median pay per year, or $19.89 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $32,010lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,47025th percentile
  3. $41,380median
  4. $47,39075th percentile
  5. $51,470top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers earned a median of $41,380 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to decline over the next decade while all occupations grow[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-10.4%[2]
Openings per year
4,800[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[7]

How much do independent sales representatives make?

This page uses the BLS category Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers. O*NET lists independent sales representative among its sample job titles for it[8].

The median wage was $41,380 a year, or $19.89 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $43,850 a year, or $21.08 an hour[9]. The median for all occupations was $50,980, so this category sat below it[1][5].

BLS publishes percentile wages, which are boundaries, not a starting salary[10]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $32,010 a year[4]. Here is the spread:

Measure Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][11] $32,010 $15.39
25th percentile[4][11] $36,470 $17.54
Median[1] $41,380 $19.89
75th percentile[4][11] $47,390 $22.78
90th percentile[4][11] $51,470 $24.74

These figures cover only people paid a wage or salary, and they leave out the self-employed and benefits[12]. That matters here. About 2,760 people held wage and salary jobs in this category[13], and 94.6% of workers were self-employed in 2025[14]. So the table describes a small slice of the people who do this work.

Pay by state and city

BLS published state medians for 14 states[15]. Missouri was first at $46,380, followed by Texas at $46,040 and New Jersey at $44,370[15]. Virginia was last among the listed states at $32,320[15].

California had the most jobs at 560, then Indiana at 200 and Texas at 160[16]. Among metro areas, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA had the most jobs at 260, with a median of $35,090[17].

Show median pay in 14 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Missouri[15]$46,380n/a
Texas$46,040160
New Jersey$44,370n/a
Indiana$39,870200
California$39,520560
Utah$38,99090
Colorado$38,590n/a
Connecticut$37,440n/a
North Carolina$37,370140
Michigan$36,700n/a
Ohio$36,21060
Maryland$34,290n/a
Kansas$32,970n/a
Virginia$32,320100

How to get started

BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry education, no related work experience, and short-term on-the-job training[7].

In an ONET survey of 23 workers, 57% said less than a high school diploma was required and 43% said a high school diploma or equivalent[18]. ONET places the job in the lowest preparation zones, where some jobs need little experience and others need several months to a year[19].

What these workers do

O*NET describes the work as selling goods or services door to door or on the street[20]. Typical tasks include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment in this category to fall 10.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 50,900 to 45,600 jobs[2]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. For all occupations the projection is growth of 3.5%[3]. Even so, about 4,800 openings a year are expected, including jobs that open when people retire or switch occupations[6]. Each year, 5.1% of workers leave the labor force and 5.9% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show an easy entry, with no formal credential and short training[7]. They also show a wage median below the all-occupations median and a shrinking job count[1][5][2]. Because nearly all workers are self-employed, wage figures do not say what a person running their own sales work would earn[12][14]. The facts suit someone who wants a low-barrier start and who accepts the uncertainty of this kind of selling.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an independent sales representative make an hour?
In the BLS category that includes this job, the median wage was $19.89 an hour and the average was $21.08 in May 2025[1][9]. These figures exclude self-employed workers[12].
What education do you need for door-to-door sales?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry education[7].
Is door-to-door and street sales work declining?
BLS projects a 10.4% decline in employment from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][3].
What is the highest paying state for door-to-door sales workers?
Among 14 states with published data, Missouri had the highest median at $46,380 a year[15].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers in the US was $41,380 per year and $19.89 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers is projected to decline 10.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 50,900 to 45,600 jobs (a change of -5,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers: 10th percentile $32,010, 25th percentile $36,470, 75th percentile $47,390, 90th percentile $51,470. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 4,800 openings for Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. O*NET 41-9091.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Direct Sales Coach, Door-to-Door Sales Trainer, Independent Beauty Consultant, Independent Distributor, Independent Sales Associate, Independent Sales Representative, Sales Representative (Sales Rep), Street Vendor. O*NET OnLine
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers was $43,850 per year and $21.08 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers: 10th percentile $15.39, 25th percentile $17.54, 75th percentile $22.78, 90th percentile $24.74. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,760 people were employed as Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS Employment Projections: 94.6% of Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  15. Median annual wage for Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers jobs: California 560; Indiana 200; Texas 160; North Carolina 140; Virginia 100. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 260 (median $35,090); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 90 (median $39,970); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 70 (median $49,330); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 70 (median $44,370); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 50 (median $35,590); Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC 40 (median $31,550). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  18. O*NET 41-9091.00 survey of workers (23 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 57%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 43% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 41-9091.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET description of Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers. O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET task list for Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers. O*NET OnLine
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers: 5.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.