How much do car salesmen make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics's Occupational Outlook Handbook classifies car salesmen as retail sales workers. The 2012 median pay for U.S. retail sales workers was $21,410 annually, or $10.29 hourly. Many car salespeople are paid on commission, meaning they get a percentage of actual sales rather than a salary.

For salespeople on commission, income can vary significantly from month to month based on sales. Jobs in the retail sales market, especially with high-value items such as automobiles, vary based on the economy. They typically have a higher turnover than other sectors, so job availability is higher than in other occupations.