Wholesale and retail sales

A field of study in business, administration and law

Figures for

Where can it lead?66 jobsuse what this field teaches.ESCO

Vocational or degree?Both routes3 in 10 train through vocational routes in the EU: 400,000 finished vocational training and 766,000 higher education in this field (2024). Figures for the wider field.Eurostat

Do graduates use it?66% in a matching jobof business and law graduates with a degree in the EU work in a job that matches what they studied. After vocational training: 53%.All business and law fields · Eurostat 2024

Do they find work?87% in workof people who finished higher education in the last 1 to 3 years in the EU (2025). Vocational training: 80%. General upper secondary only: 67%.All fields · Eurostat

What you'd learn

Quality standardsProduct comprehensionCharacteristics of servicesReal estate marketSales promotion techniquesInternational businessSales activitiesConsumer goods industryE-procurementWarehouse operationsWaste and scrap productsInternational trade+ 13 more

The knowledge areas ESCO files under this field, those most needed by jobs first. Actual programmes vary by school and country.

Where it can lead

66 jobs use what this field teaches.

Sort by

Jobs that use what wholesale and retail sales teaches
Job	Prospects	Pay	Usual study	AI exposure
Wholesale merchant	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Technical sales representative in electronic and telecommunications equipment	Good	Above average	Degree	Significant
Technical sales representative	Good	Above average	Degree	Significant
Auctioneer	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Commercial sales representative	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Shop assistant	Good	Below average	Vocational	Some tasks
Promotions demonstrator	Average	Below average	Vocational	Moderate
Sales assistant	Good	Below average	Vocational	Some tasks
Market vendor	Average	Below average	Vocational	Some tasks
Supermarket manager	Limited	Well above average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Hawker	Limited	Below average	Basic schooling	Very low
Shop manager	Limited	Well above average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Fuel station specialised seller	Average	Below average	Vocational	Low
After-sales service technician	Good	Above average	Degree	Significant
Door to door seller	Average	Below average	Vocational	Moderate
Non-vessel operating common carrier	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Car leasing agent	Good	Below average	Vocational	Some tasks
Auction house manager	Limited	Well above average	Degree	Moderate
Sales processor	Good	Below average	Vocational	Some tasks
Wood products assembler	Average	Below average	Vocational	Low
Trade regional manager	Limited	Well above average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Purchaser	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Low
Specialised seller	Good	Below average	Vocational	Some tasks
Department store manager	Limited	Well above average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Relocation officer	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Sales engineer	Good	Above average	Degree	Significant
Rental service representative	Average	Below average	Vocational	–
Tissue paper perforating and rewinding operator	Limited	About average	Vocational	Very low
Record press operator	Good	About average	Vocational	Very low
Personal shopper	Good	Below average	Vocational	Some tasks
Standalone public buyer	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Low
Procurement category specialist	Good	Above average	Degree	Low
Paperboard products assembler	Limited	About average	Vocational	Very low
Metal furniture machine operator	Average	Below average	Vocational	Low
Corrugator operator	Limited	About average	Vocational	Very low
International forwarding operations coordinator	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Significant
Plastic furniture machine operator	Good	About average	Vocational	Very low
Sales account manager	Limited	Well above average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Plastic rolling machine operator	Good	About average	Vocational	Very low
Bicycle assembler	Average	Below average	Vocational	Low
Paper stationery machine operator	Limited	About average	Vocational	Very low
Call centre agent	Average	Below average	Vocational	High
Property acquisitions manager	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Low
Refuse collector	Good	Below average	Basic schooling	Very low
ICT account manager	Good	Above average	Degree	Significant
Product and services manager	Good	Above average	Degree	Significant
Tool grinder	Limited	About average	Vocational	Very low
Retail department manager	Limited	Well above average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Materials handler	Average	Below average	Basic schooling	Very low
Vacuum forming machine operator	Good	About average	Vocational	Very low
Nailing machine operator	Good	Below average	Vocational	Very low
Recycling worker	Good	Below average	Basic schooling	Very low
Sorter labourer	Good	Below average	Basic schooling	Very low
Advertising sales agent	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Insulating tube winder	Good	About average	Vocational	Very low
Laminating machine operator	Limited	About average	Vocational	Low
ICT help desk manager	Good	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Warehouse worker	Average	Below average	Basic schooling	Very low
Bindery operator	Limited	About average	Vocational	Very low
Plastic heat treatment equipment operator	Good	About average	Vocational	Very low
ICT presales engineer	Good	Above average	Degree	Significant
ICT help desk agent	Good	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Motorcycle assembler	Good	Below average	Vocational	Low
Paper pulp moulding operator	Limited	About average	Vocational	Low
Commodity trader	Average	About average	Post-secondary	Moderate
Wood fuel pelletiser	Limited	About average	Vocational	Very low

Jobs that need the knowledge this field teaches (ESCO), closest match first. This is not a record of where graduates actually end up: no EU-wide data says that per field.

Where to study

1,314 institutions in the EU offer business and law bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.