Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers focus on selling products or services directly to customers and the public. National employment stands at 25,000, with about 3,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing movement into and out of these roles. The national median annual salary is $34,530, with some variation depending on state and metro area. This occupation emphasizes people-focused work, where customer service, speaking and listening, and interpersonal skills are central to daily success. Physical strength and stamina can also be important, alongside fine motor skills, depending on the specific work setting. Creativity and innovation contribute to attracting and engaging customers. While projected employment growth is -10.0%, opportunities still exist in certain states and metro areas, reflected in their CareerGPS opportunity scores. For individuals interested in sales, public interaction, and work that does not require a formal educational credential, this path can provide a way to build experience and transferable skills in customer-facing environments.
The national median annual salary for door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers is $34,530. Earnings vary by location. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, median salaries range from $32,320 in Virginia to $46,040 in Texas. California and Utah are in the upper $30,000s, at $39,520 and $38,990 respectively, while Ohio’s median is $36,210. In metro areas with strong opportunity scores, salaries also differ. The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX metro shows a median of $49,330, the highest among listed metros, while New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ reports $44,370. Other highlighted metros, including Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA and Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, OR–WA, fall in the mid-to-high $30,000s. These differences suggest that location choice can significantly influence earning potential within this occupation.
Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers have national employment of 25,000. Projected employment growth for this occupation is -10.0%, indicating an expected decline in overall positions over the projection period. Despite the negative growth rate, there are still about 3,000 annual openings. These openings reflect ongoing hiring needs due to factors such as workers changing jobs or leaving the labor force. All listed states and metro areas share the same projected growth rate of -10.0%, so the outlook is consistently negative across the highlighted regions. However, the presence of annual openings means individuals may still find roles, particularly in areas with higher CareerGPS opportunity scores. People considering this field should weigh the combination of declining overall employment with the fact that employers continue to seek new workers each year to fill available positions.
Location plays a significant role in opportunities for door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers. Among states, California has the highest CareerGPS opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $39,520 and employment of 560. Virginia and Texas also appear prominently, with opportunity scores of 54.96 and 51.57, though Texas has a higher median salary of $46,040 compared with Virginia’s $32,320. Utah and Ohio round out the top states, offering mid-$30,000 to high-$30,000 median salaries and smaller employment totals. At the metro level, New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ stands out with the highest opportunity score of 77.27, a median salary of $44,370, and employment of 70. Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV and Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA also feature solid opportunity scores above 60. Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX offers the highest median salary among metros listed at $49,330. These variations show that both pay levels and opportunity scores differ meaningfully across regions, which can impact job seekers’ location decisions.
Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers typically do not need a formal educational credential. This makes the occupation accessible to people who want to enter the workforce without completing a specific degree or program. Instead of formal education requirements, success in this field is closely tied to skill development. Customer service, speaking and listening, and interpersonal abilities are central, reflecting the face-to-face and person-to-person nature of the work. Leadership and project management skills can support organizing daily activities and coordinating efforts. Computers and information technology skills, along with writing and reading, may be helpful for handling basic documentation, communication, or digital tools used in the job. Physical strength and stamina, fine motor skills, and creativity and innovation round out the skill profile, supporting the physical aspects of work and the ability to engage customers. Individuals can focus on building these skills through experience, practice, and on-the-job learning.
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