17 Of The Best Paying Jobs in Consumer Services in 2024
The best-paying jobs in consumer services pay up to $100,000+ per year! These jobs include positions in industries like travel and transportation, retail, hospitality, personal financial services, and more.
As these jobs continue to evolve, you'll find that today's consumer services jobs will vary a lot from those of the past. They'll come with new work duties, different work settings, and new perks. This includes remote positions, flexible work options, and other perks that job seekers might enjoy.
In this article, you'll learn about the consumer services industry, including the 17 best-paying jobs in consumer services and more.
Let's go!
Contents
- What is the Consumer Services Industry?
- 17 Best Paying Jobs in Consumer Services
- 1. Customer Service Rep
- 2. Retail
- 3. Flight Attendant
- 4. Concierge
- 5. Technical Support Representative
- 6. Personal Financial Advisor
- 7. Bank Teller
- 8. Receptionist
- 9. Client Services Coordinator
- 10. Online Chat Support
- 11. Retail Manager
- 12. Hotel Manager
- 13. Office Manager
- 14. Front Desk Manager
- 15. Help Desk Analyst
- 16. Event Planner
- 17. Restaurant Manager
- Pros and Cons of Working in Consumer Services
- Bottom Line
What is the Consumer Services Industry?
The consumer services industry is about the intangible products and services provided to the consumer market, not businesses. It includes major companies and corporations like Netflix, Walmart, Amazon, Disney, Costco, Comcast, McDonald's, and others.
Consumer services play a significant role in the U.S. and the global economy. It fuels supply chains. It also provides valuable services to consumers and jobs to workers around the world.
Consumer services is a huge industry covering nearly half a million establishments with a combined annual revenue of 300 billion dollars, according to this source.
The best-paying jobs in consumer services reward job seekers with a competitive salary. Many jobs also offer competitive benefits, along with perks like those shared above (e.g., work from home, flexible work schedule, etc.).
17 Best Paying Jobs in Consumer Services
So what do consumer services jobs pay? Here’s one list to service them all!
These customer service industry jobs are not listed in any particular order, so browse around, and you'll see quite a range in expected income.
1. Customer Service Rep
Customer service representatives help consumers with routine transactions and inquiries while providing excellent customer service.
Customer service jobs are generally entry-level positions providing customer support services to consumers.
Your diverse range of work tasks may include:
- Making outbound calls
- Receiving inbound calls
- Answering questions/inquiries
- Processing routine transactions
- Providing excellent customer service
Customer service representatives exist in all industries that provide services to consumers. These jobs earn a median pay of $36,920/year, with nearly 3 million jobs in existence.
2. Retail
Retail worker positions are customer support jobs.
Your work tasks will include:
- Processing purchase transactions
- Handling Returns and/or Exchanges
- Addressing customer issues
- Working to resolve complaints
- Answering routine product questions
Retail companies include Walgreens, Target, Walmart, and others.
This is a good consumer services industry role because of the low barrier to entry. Retail jobs are generally entry-level jobs with no college required and no experience needed.
Retail sales representatives earn a median salary of $29,180/year with around 4.1 million jobs.
3. Flight Attendant
Flight attendants service consumers who fly on private and commercial aircraft on airlines like Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and others.
The job duties of flight attendants are:
- Greeting customers
- Providing beverage/food service
- Demonstrating safety procedures, and
- Keeping the aircraft clean before, during, and after flights
This job can be exciting for people who love travel because your job will take you around the world, literally! Flight attendant jobs are one of the most sought-after positions, with just 1% of applications getting hired.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, flight attendants earn a median wage of $61,640/year with 106,000 jobs. Some airlines specify a high school diploma as a requirement for this role.
4. Concierge
Concierges work in the front office space of buildings like hotels or apartment buildings.
The job duties in this consumer services industry role include:
- Greeting guests
- Accepting and monitoring guest requests
- Taking messages, and
- Giving advice
For example, a hotel concierge would greet hotel patrons and help them explore the sites in the city. When I visited Galveston, Texas, for the first time, the hotel concierge gave me some brochures on entertaining things to do in the city and gave me directions to the beach.
A concierge job is a good fit for people who like helping others.
As a concierge, you can expect to earn an average of around $15.00 per hour. There are approximately 11,500 jobs in the U.S., according to this source.
5. Technical Support Representative
Technical support representatives are customer support jobs that provide tech support services to consumers. You'll need good problem-solving skills as your role will likely include troubleshooting, guidance registering for new accounts, fixing bugs, reporting errors, and submitting tickets for issues that arise.
Tech support jobs are great for workers with technical expertise who enjoy helping others. This position might require a bachelor's degree in fields such as business administration, computer sciences, or IT. This is one of the more high-paying jobs on our list, and the median salary is roughly $57,000/year with 875,000 jobs.
6. Personal Financial Advisor
A personal financial advisor offers financial advice to consumers related to banking, finance, and investing. If you like working in a customer-facing environment, helping people reach their financial goals, and have excellent communication skills, then look into this consumer services position.
Personal financial advisors work in the finance and insurance industry, earning a median salary of $94,170/year with 330,000 jobs. You might need a bachelor's degree in a field related to finance, economics, or business to qualify for this position.
7. Bank Teller
Bank tellers work in banks and financial institutions. They help bank consumers with routine financial tasks like:
- Cashing checks
- Processing deposits and withdrawals
- Answering balance inquiries
A bank teller job would likely be a good fit for workers who enjoy working with others and have excellent communication skills because you'll be interacting with many customers in this role.
Bank tellers can expect to earn a median salary of $36,310/year with 378,000 jobs. A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required.
8. Receptionist
Receptionists work in an office setting. They perform administrative tasks like:
- Answering phone calls and emails
- Scheduling meetings
- Scheduling appointments
- Greeting visitors
Receptionists are good jobs for people who like to keep busy because you'll be doing a lot of task-based, administrative work. Receptionists earn $29,950/year as a median salary, with just over one million jobs in this profession.
9. Client Services Coordinator
A Client Services Coordinator (or Client Service Representative) works one-on-one with customers to:
- Answer questions
- Handle service issues that may arise, and
- De-escalate situations as needed
As a client services manager or coordinator, you will ensure customer complaints and issues are handled and make sure consumers experience top customer satisfaction.
If you're patient and have excellent customer service skills, a client services manager or coordinator position might be the right role for you!
The average salary of a Client Services Coordinator is $44,800/year with 1.3 million jobs.
10. Online Chat Support
An online chat support agent provides customer service to consumers via online chat. The tasks you'll do in this role are similar to that of a customer service representative. The main difference is that you'll chat with customers online instead of talking on the phone or face-to-face.
Online chat support jobs are among the best consumer service positions if you're considering an online job.
These entry-level jobs would fall under customer service and pay a median wage of $36,920/year. It has just under 3 million jobs.
11. Retail Manager
Retail managers (or supervisors) manage and oversee the day-to-day operations of the retail store. They have job duties like:
- Training employees
- Getting feedback from customers, and
- Managing store workers
Managers are available if situations escalate and customers request to speak to a manager to get an issue resolved.
Retail managers are one of the best consumer service positions for high earnings. This role pays a median salary of $127,000/year, with 469,000 jobs available.
12. Hotel Manager
Hotel managers oversee the entire hotel operation. This includes managing employees and ensuring the hotel is running smoothly. You'll ensure that customers remain happy and meet their expectations during their hotel stay. Accepting guest feedback, resolving disputes, and acting as a mediator will be required, so you'll need excellent customer service skills.
Management jobs in consumer services are great paying jobs and can pay into the six figures to start (and check out our list of jobs that pay 300k per year for more ideas).
Hotel managers can expect to earn around $59,000/year as a median salary. Higher salaries are available in competitive markets like Las Vegas, where hotel managers can earn an average of $114,000/year. There are 51,000 jobs.
13. Office Manager
Office managers oversee the smooth operation of a professional office. This can include work settings like a doctor's office, dental office, (we have a great list of dental office names), real estate business office, etc.
Your job duties may include:
- Scheduling meetings
- Scheduling appointments
- Accepting messages
- Assisting staff as needed, and
- Ensuring the office space remains organized and clean
Your clients, in this case, may include departments within your organization, such as sales and marketing teams, accounts and finance teams, as well as external clients, such as customers or suppliers.
Consider an office manager job if you're well-organized and have excellent time management skills. Office manager consumer services jobs pay a median salary is $99,290/year, and there are 348,100 jobs.
14. Front Desk Manager
Front desk managers work in medical offices, corporate buildings, and service-oriented businesses like spas, fitness centers, and resorts. Their role is crucial for smooth operations at the reception area, managing guest or client interactions, and handling administrative tasks. Core skills such as customer service, communication, and organization are needed, making this role adaptable and valuable across various sectors, not just in the hospitality industry.
Your job duties may include:
- Managing guest/client relationships and interactions at the front desk
- Supervising and training front desk staff
- Maintaining office supplies and equipment
- Scheduling appointments and reservations
- Handling billing and payment processing
Front desk managers handle record-keeping, database management, and coordination with other departments. They are crucial to customer service and must stay friendly and professional when dealing with inquiries, complaints, and requests.
To succeed in this role, you need strong communication skills since front desk managers are often the first point of contact for clients or guests. Attention to detail is important to ensure all appointments and reservations are accurate and conflict-free. Additionally, good time management and multitasking abilities are essential for managing a busy front desk.
The average salary for a Front Desk Manager in the United States is $54,276. Typically, salaries range from $46,852 to $62,663.
15. Help Desk Analyst
As technology advances, the demand for help desk analysts increases. These professionals offer technical support to users facing computer or software issues. They work in various settings like call centers, corporate offices, and IT departments.
Some common job duties of a help desk analyst include:
- Troubleshooting technical issues reported by users
- Providing step-by-step instructions for problem resolution
- Documenting and tracking technical support requests
- Escalating complex issues to senior IT staff
- Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of technological advancements and software updates
Help desk analysts need more technical skills than most of the roles on this list. They need strong problem-solving skills and clear communication with non-technical users. Patience and empathy are crucial when handling frustrated customers. A bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field may be required for this role.
The average Help Desk Analyst salary in the United States is $68,247. Typically, salaries range from $61,556 to $76,447, depending on experience and qualifications.
16. Event Planner
Event Planners organize and coordinate various events. They work with clients to understand their needs and plan accordingly. Common events they handle include weddings, corporate conferences, trade shows, and charity fundraisers.
Some job duties of an event planner may include:
- Meeting with clients to discuss event details and budget
- Coordinating with vendors and suppliers for event services and products
- Creating event timelines and schedules
- Managing budgets and expenses for events
- Overseeing the execution of events on-site
Event planners need excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and strong communication abilities. They must work well under pressure and adapt to any last-minute changes during events.
Event planners usually have experience or qualifications in hospitality management, event planning, or a related field.
The average salary for an Event Planner is $63,324, typically ranging from $57,031 to $70,242.
17. Restaurant Manager
Restaurant Managers handle the daily operations of a restaurant. They manage staff, ensure customer satisfaction, and take care of administrative tasks. They maintain quality standards, manage finances and budgets, and create employee schedules.
Some common duties of a Restaurant Manager may include:
- Hiring and training staff
- Managing inventory and ordering supplies
- Creating menus and overseeing food preparation
- Ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations
- Resolving customer complaints and concerns
Restaurant managers need strong leadership skills, the ability to multitask, and excellent problem-solving abilities. They should understand food and beverage costs and be knowledgeable about marketing and sales strategies.
Qualifications or experience in hospitality management or a related field are often preferred for this role, along with several years of experience in restaurant operations.
The average salary for a Restaurant Manager is $54,534, typically ranging from $47,406 to $63,101. However, salaries can vary greatly depending on location and the type of establishment they manage.
Pros and Cons of Working in Consumer Services
With any industry, for most jobs, there are advantages and disadvantages to working within that field. Here's a list of some of the pros and cons to consider with consumer service positions.
Pros
- Low barrier to entry: Many entry-level position roles don't require a bachelor's degree or experience.
- Rewarding work: This can be a fruitful and enjoyable experience, helping others in mostly consumer-facing roles.
- Career advancement opportunities: Consumer services offer opportunities to advance with the company. This leads to higher-paying positions with more responsibilities.
- Strong work-life balance: There's a clear barrier between work and life, which means less stress and more productivity.
Cons
- Lower salaries: Compared to other industries like tech, entry-level jobs in consumer services pay less.
- Competitive: The low barrier to entry for consumer services jobs (some may not require a high school diploma) makes landing a job in this industry very competitive.
- Some positions are shrinking: Certain consumer services jobs are not experiencing growth, like bank teller jobs, which are expected to decline by 12% by 2031. This means less hiring is happening around these positions, and the job could become obsolete.
Bottom Line
To recap, we covered 17 of the best-paying jobs in consumer services. Consumer services is a great industry to be in because of reasons like the low barrier to entry in getting a job and the rewarding work you'll be doing.
While some consumer service jobs remain stable or are declining, the industry as a whole is experiencing growth. You'll love the excellent work-life balance that exists with many of these positions.
It's impossible to take work home with you as a flight attendant or retail store manager, for example.
For many positions, consumer services jobs at entry level position pay on the lower end, but career advancement opportunities do exist (and there are even opportunities with jobs that pay $30 an hour with no experience). Plus, earning up to six figures or more is within reach if you can move into a managerial position with these career opportunities.
Which consumer service jobs do you have your eye on?
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