Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Retail Salesperson Salary in Lafayette, LA

Retail Salespersons in the Lafayette, LA metro area earn a median $28,600 a year — 19% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $24,688 take-home, or $2,057 a month.

Median salary
$28,600
$13.75 per hour
Typical range
$21,770 – $41,730
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Lafayette, LA
5,010
1.11× national concentration
▲4.0%
Pay trend: The median for retail salespersons in Lafayette, LA rose from $27,510 (May 2024) to $28,600 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.6%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median retail salesperson salary in Lafayette, LA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Retail Salesperson in Lafayette, LA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$24,688
per year · effective tax rate 13.7%
$2,057Monthly
$1,029Twice a month
$950Every 2 weeks
$11.87Hourly
  • Federal income tax$1,252
  • Social Security (6.2%)$1,773
  • Medicare (1.45%)$415
  • Louisiana income tax$472
  • Take-home pay$24,688

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Retail Salesperson pay by experience in Lafayette, LA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$21,770$10.47$19,271$1,606
25th percentile$23,670$11.38$20,778$1,732
Median (50th)$28,600$13.75$24,688$2,057
75th percentile$35,200$16.92$29,793$2,483
90th percentile (top earners)$41,730$20.06$34,844$2,904

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Louisiana resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $28,600 buys in Lafayette, LA

Prices in Lafayette, LA are 12.8% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 41% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median retail salesperson's $24,688 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,309 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$847
41% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$974
47% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,210
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Retail Salesperson jobs are about as common in Lafayette, LA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.11).

Best-paying cities for retail salespersons, adjusted for cost of living

Lafayette, LA ranks #157 of 237 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Fargo, ND $35,860$30,994$34,107
2St. Cloud, MN $34,860$29,144$33,257
3Yakima, WA $36,640$31,620$33,095
4Sioux Falls, SD $34,600$29,981$33,080
5Rochester, MN $36,000$29,999$33,030
6San Jose, CA $44,220$36,378$32,944
7Duluth, MN $34,650$28,986$32,654
8Rapid City, SD $33,350$28,977$32,500
157Lafayette, LA$28,600$24,688$28,309

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 237 metros →

About the job: retail salespersons

Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers.

Typical education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
-0.3% (slower than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Retail Salesperson salaries elsewhere in Louisiana

Frequently asked questions

How much does a retail salesperson make in Lafayette, LA?

The median retail salesperson salary in the Lafayette, LA metro area is $28,600 a year, or about $13.75 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $23,670 and $35,200.

What is a retail salesperson’s take-home pay in Lafayette, LA?

On the median $28,600 salary, a single filer living in Louisiana takes home about $24,688 a year ($2,057 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $472 in Louisiana taxes in 2026.

Is Lafayette, LA a good place to work as a retail salesperson?

Pay here is 19% below the national median of $35,410. Local prices are 12.8% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,309 would in a typical U.S. city. Lafayette, LA ranks #157 of 237 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a retail salesperson afford rent in Lafayette, LA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Lafayette, LA is $847 a month ($974 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median retail salesperson’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

Related jobs in Lafayette, LA

Cost of living & all salaries in Lafayette, LA →