by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Retail Management explores Retail Management. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Manage The Operations Of A Wide Variety Of Retail Businesses, Including Department Stores; Independent And Chain Stores; Fashion, Food And Beverage, And Pharmaceutical Establishments; And Online Retail Businesses. Includes Instruction In Retail Management, Merchandise Management, Customer Service Management, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Accounting, Finance, Business Law, And Personnel Management. Read on to learn the essential details every retail management student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering retail management programs.
Across the country, retail management is a popular field of study, with 1,434 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Retail Management Schools ranking analyzes these 57 schools to determine the best overall colleges for retail management students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of retail management programs later in this article.
Studies in Retail Management emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations retail management graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a retail management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a retail management major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several retail management degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 175 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 64 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 88 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,107 |
People currently working in careers related to retail management tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 28.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 15.3% |
| Master’s degree | 13.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 13.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 8.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 7.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 7.0% |
| Some college courses | 6.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.1% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in retail management careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying retail management prepares you for many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to retail management.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to retail management.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 830,802 | 5.3% |
| Fitness and Wellness Coordinators | 403,205 | 4.2% |
| Personal Service Managers, All Other | 320,819 | 2.9% |
| Spa Managers | 184,703 | -2.2% |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 181,317 | 10.6% |
| General and Operations Managers | 163,335 | -2.2% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of retail management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $62,537 |
| 4 years | $63,883 |
| 5 years | $71,749 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for retail management graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers retail management grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Personal Service Managers, All Other | $176,674 |
| General and Operations Managers | $149,694 |
| Spa Managers | $143,396 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,576 |
| Fitness and Wellness Coordinators | $66,320 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $53,224 |
With 57 different retail management programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased retail management school rankings to help you.
Students interested in retail management, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General | 336,590 |
| Organizational Leadership | 15,674 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other | 12,497 |
| Operations Management and Supervision | 12,273 |
| Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management | 10,865 |
| Project Management | 4,784 |
| Office Management and Supervision | 3,126 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management | 2,454 |
| Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management | 1,230 |
| Transportation/Mobility Management | 579 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
