In short
Good jobs after retail include pharmacy technician, medical administrative assistant, medical assistant, insurance and real estate sales, HVAC and truck driving. They use customer service skills and need a year or less of training. Pharmacy technicians, for example, earned a median of $45,750 in May 2025, compared with $35,410 for retail salespersons.
Where retail workers often land
| # | Job | Median pay | Typical way in | Growth 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance sales agents (BLS) | $62,280 | High school or GED | 3.3% | 43,100 |
| 2 | Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $61,010 | Certificate | 10.9% | 40,600 |
| 3 | Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | $58,640 | Certificate | 3.8% | 214,500 |
| 4 | Real estate sales agents | $52,830 | High school or GED | 1.7% | 32,600 |
| 5 | Medical records specialists | $51,140 | Certificate | 7.8% | 14,000 |
| 6 | Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks | $50,670 | Some college | a decline of 5.6% | 144,100 |
| 7 | Dental assistants | $48,070 | Certificate | 7.4% | 53,000 |
| 8 | Medical secretaries and administrative assistants | $45,930 | High school or GED | 4.8% | 89,200 |
| 9 | Pharmacy technicians | $45,750 | High school or GED | 6.4% | 44,700 |
| 10 | Medical assistants | $45,690 | Certificate | 12.9% | 109,700 |
| 11 | Phlebotomists | $45,230 | Certificate | 6.8% | 18,000 |
| 12 | Customer service representatives (BLS) | $44,770 | High school or GED | a decline of 5.3% | 289,500 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 (Table 1.2), May 2025 median wages, retrieved 2026-10-09. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or switch fields.
Make the switch
Rewrite your resume around customer service, cash handling and training new staff. See our career change resume guide. Many of these jobs train on the job or take a short program.
Questions people ask
What is the easiest job to get after retail?
Pharmacy technician and medical office roles often hire retail workers and train them.
Do retail skills count as experience?
Yes, customer service and reliability carry over to many jobs.
Can I leave retail without going back to school?
Sometimes, into jobs with on-the-job training. Many better-paid jobs need a short credential.