Sales
Counter and Rental Clerks
- Median pay
- $41,300
- Outlook
- As fast as average
No formal credential
- Active Listening
- Service Orientation
- Speaking
SOC 41-2011.00Bright outlook
Receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
Annual pay range
3,089,410 people work in this occupation.
In short
Cashiers process customer payments and handle transactions in a variety of retail and service businesses. The career employs 3,089,410 people and offers a median annual pay of $32,880.
Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.
Receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions. May use electronic scanners, cash registers, or related equipment. May process credit or debit card transactions and validate checks.
Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.
Cashiers spend their days interacting directly with the public, scanning items, and processing payments. They handle cash, credit cards, debit cards, and checks in establishments other than banks. Key tasks include getting information from customers, handling and moving physical objects, and working with computers or cash registers to record sales. They must monitor transactions carefully to ensure accuracy and solve minor problems that arise during checkout.
This role suits individuals with conventional interests who enjoy structured, detail-oriented tasks. Success in this field requires strong service orientation, active listening, and social perceptiveness. Cashiers must communicate effectively with both customers and supervisors. Important knowledge areas include customer service, basic mathematics, English, and sales. To do this job well, workers need to demonstrate dependability, cooperation, self-control, and integrity while maintaining a positive and empathetic attitude toward shoppers.
Entering this field does not require any formal academic credentials. Most people can start working in this role with a high school diploma or less. Training typically happens on the job, where new hires learn how to operate the specific register systems and follow company policies.
Because of the low entry barriers, there are no specific college majors associated with this career. However, preparation levels are generally low, meaning most individuals can qualify quickly with minimal prior experience. Depending on where you live, some states do list specific licensing requirements for this work. This role can also serve as a stepping stone to related positions, such as retail salespersons, customer service representatives, or first-line supervisors of retail sales workers.
The median annual pay for cashiers is $32,880. This means half of the workers in this role earn more than this amount, and half earn less. Earnings can range from under $24,530 for the lowest 10% of workers to over $40,410 for the highest 10%.
Employment in this field is projected to decline by -6.5% from 2025 to 2035. Despite this projected decrease in total jobs, the career still offers a very large number of opportunities due to turnover, with 521,300 job openings expected each year.
Interest code CER. Compare it with yours
Auction Clerk · Bottle Booth Attendant · Box Office Attendant · Bridge Toll Collector · Cage Cashier · Cart Attendant · Cash Checker · Cash Office Worker · Cash Person · Cash Register Operator (Cash Register Op)
CareerOneStop
What cashiers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.
7 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.
INTERTRACK EMPLOYEE
Occupational Riverboat Gambling License
Level III Gaming Occupation
Horse Racing Occupational License
CASINO SERVICE EMPLOYEE
Staff Permit Employees
Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.
Your plan
Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.
Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.
People in this occupation are sometimes called cash register operators, box office attendants, cage cashiers, or bridge toll collectors. Other titles include bottle booth attendants, cash office workers, and auction clerks.
No formal educational credential is required to enter this field. Most workers receive short-term training on the job and typically hold a high school diploma or less.
Yes, there are 521,300 job openings projected each year. Although the occupation is experiencing a decline of -6.5% in total employment, the sheer size of the workforce ensures many annual openings remain.
Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.
Version 31.0
Version 2025-35 · Data year 2025
Version 2025 · Data year 2025
Version 2020 · Data year 2020
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.
Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.
Page data updated November 5, 2026.