# Online Merchants

> Conduct retail activities of businesses operating exclusively online. May perform duties such as preparing business strategies, buying merchandise, managing inventory, implementing marketing activities, fulfilling and shipping online orders, and balancing financial records.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/online-merchants
- SOC code: 13-1199.06
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $83,050 (10th percentile $47,880, 90th percentile $150,010)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.9%
- Openings a year: 98,700
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Business operations specialists, all other".

## Interest profile (code CER)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 24 |
| Investigative (I) | 10 |
| Artistic (A) | 15 |
| Social (S) | 22 |
| Enterprising (E) | 80 |
| Conventional (C) | 83 |

## What you'd do

- Working with Computers (importance 92/100)
- Getting Information (importance 80/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 76/100)
- Processing Information (importance 75/100)
- Selling or Influencing Others (importance 72/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 71/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 70/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 69/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 69/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 65/100)

## Skills

Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Persuasion, Service Orientation, Writing, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Negotiation

## Knowledge

English Language, Sales and Marketing, Customer and Personal Service, Communications and Media, Administration and Management, Computers and Electronics, Administrative, Mathematics, Economics and Accounting, Production and Processing

## Also called

E-Commerce Account Manager, E-Commerce Administrator, E-Commerce Analyst, E-Commerce Assistant, E-Commerce Associate, E-Commerce Business Analyst, E-Commerce Business Channel Specialist, E-Commerce Clerk, E-Commerce Coordinator, E-Commerce Developer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Business Operations Support and Assistant Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5204) (CIP 5204, 758 colleges)
- [Hospitality Administration/Management](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5209) (CIP 5209, 641 colleges)
- [International Business](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5211) (CIP 5211, 569 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | International Business | not reported | $159,452 | $13,500 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $96,806 | $144,654 | $19,500 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $94,811 | $144,599 | $10,656 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $108,743 | $136,806 | $19,250 |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $87,830 | $136,731 | $15,000 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $88,182 | $135,874 | $9,250 |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | International Business | $76,290 | $125,162 | $18,258 |

## Related careers

- [Marketing Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/marketing-managers): $166,790 median pay
- [Sales Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-managers): $148,270 median pay
- [Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/wholesale-and-retail-buyers-except-farm-products): $77,710 median pay
- [Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/market-research-analysts-and-marketing-specialists): $78,760 median pay
- [Advertising Sales Agents](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/advertising-sales-agents): $64,820 median pay
- [Advertising and Promotions Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/advertising-and-promotions-managers): $133,660 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.