Cashiers
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.
Also called: Auction Clerk, Bottle Booth Attendant, Box Office Attendant, Bridge Toll Collector, Cage Cashier, Cart Attendant
Median pay
$32,880
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$24,530 – $40,410
People employed
3,089,410
Holland code
CER
Conventional · Enterprising · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 2.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 3.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 4.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 5.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
The hard parts
- Long hours on your feet
Cashiers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What cashiers do
- 01Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
- 02Greet customers entering establishments.
- 03Calculate total payments received during a time period, and reconcile this with total sales.
- 04Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
- 05Count money in cash drawers at the beginning of shifts to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change.
- 06Issue trading stamps, and redeem food stamps and coupons.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Mathematics
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from cashiers
- Tellers93% · +31%
- Customer Service Representatives90% · +36%
- Gambling Cage Workers89% · +14%
- Postal Service Clerks89% · +89%
- Pharmacy Aides86% · +15%
Change into cashiers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Gambling Dealers89% · $34,320
- Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners89% · $34,980
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks89% · $35,070
- Gambling Cage Workers88% · $37,580
- Pharmacy Aides87% · $37,680