Occupations · Sales
Parts Salespersons
Sell spare and replacement parts and equipment in repair shop or parts store.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 41-2022.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 53% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $39,330 | 8,580 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $35,880 | 7,660 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $33,340 | 6,400 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $43,380 | 5,930 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $45,650 | 5,360 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $37,100 | 5,060 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $41,160 | 3,960 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $35,260 | 3,870 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $38,000 | 3,760 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $37,450 | 3,510 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $48,860 | 3,150 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $46,380 | 3,140 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: No formal educational credential · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Examine returned parts for defects, and exchange defective parts or refund money.
- Manage shipments by researching shipping methods or costs and tracking packages.
- Mark and store parts in stockrooms, according to prearranged systems.
- Maintain and clean work and inventory areas.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2023-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2023-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 6
No longer listed 2
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| motor vehicles specialised seller | 5223.7.25 | close |
| sales assistant | 5223.4 | broader |
| motor vehicles parts advisor | 5223.2 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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