Earnings
Earnings vary widely and are greatly influenced by the ability of the individual owner, the type of product or service being sold, and existing economic conditions. Some retail business owners may earn less than $15,000 a year, while the most successful owners earn hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. PayScale.com reported that owners/operators of small businesses earned median salaries of $67,642 in 2025. Salaries ranged from $32,000 to $146,000.
Unlike salaried professionals, retail business owners do not receive benefits such as paid sick and vacation time, access to a health insurance plan, and reimbursement for educational expenses.
Related Professions
- Accountants
- Animal Trainers
- Antiques and Art Dealers
- App Services Workers
- Arbitrators
- Aromatherapists
- Artists
- Auctioneers
- Auditors
- Automobile Sales Workers
- Automotive Dealership Owners
- Automotive Dealership Sales Managers
- Barbers
- Bed and Breakfast Owners
- Billing Clerks
- Bloggers
- Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks
- Brewers
- Budget Analysts
- Business Continuity Planners
- Business Development Managers and Directors
- Business Intelligence Analysts
- Business Managers
- Buyers
- Career and Employment Counselors
- Career and Employment Technicians
- Cashiers
- Caterers
- Chief Customer Officers
- Chief Executive Officers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Information Security Officers
- Chief Medical Officers
- Chief Restructuring Officers
- Chief Revenue Officers
- Chief Robotics Officer
- Chief Strategy Officers
- Chief Sustainability Officers
- Chief Trust Officers
- Child Care Service Owners
- Cleaning Service Owners
- Client Services Managers
- Collection Workers
- Commodities Brokers
- Community Health Program Coordinators
- Compliance Managers
- Computer Support Service Owners
- Construction Managers
- Continuous Improvement Managers
- Contract Administrators
- Corporate Climate Strategists
- Corporate Community Relations Directors
- Corporate Lawyers
- Corporate Librarians
- Cosmetics Sales Representatives
- Cosmetics Shop Owners and Managers
- Cosmetologists
- Cost Estimators
- Counter and Retail Clerks
- Cultural Advisers
- Customer Service Directors
- Customer Service Representatives
- Customs Brokers
- Customs Officials
- Data Entry Clerks
- Data Governance Managers
- Decision Scientists
- Digital Workplace Experience Engineers
- Directors of Corporate Sponsorship
- Directors of Security
- Directors of Volunteers
- Document Management Specialists
- Driving School Owners and Instructors
- Economists
- Edupreneurs
- Employment Firm Workers
- Entrepreneurs
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- Event Planners
- Executive Recruiters
- Export-Import Specialists
- Farmers
- Fashion Models' Agents
- Film and Television Producers
- Financial Planners
- Financial Services Brokers
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Florists
- Forensic Accountants and Auditors
- Franchise Owners
- Gallery Owners and Directors
- Go-to-Market Managers
- Grain Merchants
- Green Products Manufacturers
- Gunsmiths
- Health Care Managers
- Health Club Owners and Managers
- Health Data Analysts
- Home Stagers
- Human Resources Consultants
- Human Resources Managers
- Illustrators
- Information Brokers
- Information Technology Infrastructure Engineers
- Interior Designers and Decorators
- Internet Consultants
- Internet Executives
- Internet Marketing and Advertising Consultants
- Internet Store Managers and Entrepreneurs
- Internet Transaction Specialists
- Interpreters
- Jewelers and Jewelry Repairers
- Labor Union Business Agents
- Lawn and Gardening Service Owners
- Legal Operations Specialists
- Life Insurance Agents and Brokers
- Literary Agents
- Localization Specialists
- Loss Prevention Managers
- Management Analysts and Consultants
- Market Research Analysts
- Medical Billing Service Owners
- Merchandise Displayers
- Merchant Mariners
- Military Recruiters
- Motivational Speakers
- Music Agents and Scouts
- Music Venue Owners and Managers
- Office Administrators
- Payroll Directors
- Personal Chefs
- Personal Shoppers
- Personnel and Labor Relations Specialists
- Pet Shop Workers
- Pet Sitters
- Photographers
- Podcasters
- Product Designers
- Professional Organizers
- Project Managers
- Proposal Managers
- Purchasing Agents
- Real Estate Developers
- Receptionists
- Regulatory Affairs Managers
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists
- Remote Work Coordinators
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists
- Retail Managers
- Retail Sales Workers
- Risk Managers
- Sales Managers
- Sales Representatives
- Secretaries
- Songwriters
- Space Port Managers
- Space Tourism Managers
- Sports Agents
- Statisticians
- Stenographers
- Stock Clerks
- Strategy Managers
- Supermarket Workers
- Tax Managers
- Temporary Workers
- Traffic Managers
- Translators
- Typists and Word Processors
- Watch and Clock Repairers
- Wealth Management Risk Managers
- Wealth Management Vice Presidents
- Wedding and Party Consultants
- Wind Energy Project Managers
- Workplace Diversity Experts
- Writers
- Zoo and Aquarium Curators and Directors
Featured Companies
