One item of furniture that everyone has to buy periodically is a mattress. Correspondingly, there will always be a need for knowledgeable sales professionals to sell mattresses, box springs and related bedroom furnishings to customers in need. Whether you buy your bedroom accessories from a furniture store, department store or a retailer that specializes in mattresses, most likely a friendly mattress salesman will help tend to your consumer needs.

Broad Statistics

Mattress salesmen can be classified as retail salespersons by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the BLS, the median average salary for general retail sales workers was $20,670 per year in May of 2008 and about $28,300 for those employed by home furnishing stores. The lowest 10 percent earned wages of $16,120 or lower, and the highest 10 percent made more than $38,570 annually. The middle 50 percent of position holders took home between $17,850 and $38,570 a year.

Furniture Salesmen

Mattress sales associates are also considered furniture salesmen, and other online occupation resources provide detailed information regarding their respective average salaries. According to the Simply Hired and Indeed career, employment and salary websites, in 2011 furniture salesman make anywhere from $32,000 to $53,000 per year.

Mattress Salesmen

Both Simply Hired and Indeed also published salary information in 2011 that is specific to sales personnel with a direct focus on mattress sales. At the time of publication, Simply Hired estimates that the average annual salary for mattress salesmen is near $47,000. Indeed indicates a slightly lower earning potential, reporting that mattress sales associates earn closer to $43,000 per year. Both figures significantly exceed BLS estimates for sales personnel of home furnishings retailers.

Mattress Showroom Managers

Salespersons with extensive knowledge of mattresses, expansive sales and retail management experience and who have great leadership skills can often find careers as mattress showroom managers. According to Indeed and Simply Hired, mattress showroom managers can earn anywhere from $38,000 to $45,000 per year in 2011. Such salaries begin near -- and extend beyond -- the BLS earnings projections for the 90th percentile of retail salespersons positions in May of 2008.