Parts Salespersons
Sell spare and replacement parts and equipment in repair shop or parts store.
Also called: Parts Advisor · Parts Consultant · Parts Counter Salesperson · Parts Counterman · Parts Counterperson · Parts Person
Median pay (national)
$37,440
$27,770–$61,750 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
265,060
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3.1%
~30,200 openings/yr
Typical entry
No formal educational credential
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for parts salespersons shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $61,750 versus $27,770 at the bottom 10% — 2.2x. The median of $37,440 leaves roughly 65% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3.1% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 30,200 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 53 states with released data, North Dakota pays the most for this role (median $52,000, +39% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $20,890 — a 149% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Inventory control system software, Inventory management systems, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
Tools & technology
- Inventory control system software
- Inventory management systems
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
- Customer information databases
- Inventory tracking software
- SmugMug Flickr
- Web browser software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Economics and Accounting
- Production and Processing