$Who Earns What

How much does a cashier make?

US Cashiers

Answer: A typical cashier in the United States makes $32,880 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$32,880

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 3.1 million people work in this job. Below the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$24,530
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$32,880
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$40,410
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

34 of 100
not many

Cashier pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Cashier pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$24,530$32,880$40,410about 3.1 million
States where cashiers earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
District of Columbia$38,880about 6,000
Washington$38,720about 61,000
California$37,100about 336,000
Colorado$36,870about 52,000
Hawaii$36,780about 11,000

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, cashier pay can vary with experience, location, the kind of employer, and extra tasks or responsibility. The number of hours worked changes total earnings, and schedules may include evenings, weekends, or overnight shifts.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$32,880
District of Columbia$38,880
Washington$38,720
California$37,100
Colorado$36,870
Hawaii$36,780
Louisiana$26,750
Mississippi$26,390
West Virginia$26,370

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a cashier do?

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. Excludes “Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers” (41-2012).

What's a typical day like?

Cashiers scan items, total bills, take payments, handle returns, and may check IDs for age-restricted goods. Between customers, they might bag purchases, answer questions, restock shelves, or tidy the checkout area.

How to get this job

In the United States, cashier jobs usually do not require a particular level of schooling, though employers may prefer a high school diploma; basic math and customer-service skills help. Employers train new cashiers on the job, often for a few weeks, teaching them to use registers and scanners.

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like keeping things organized and leading and selling.

Did you know?

In the United States, cashiers spend an average of 93% of their workday standing—so a checkout shift can mean hours on their feet!

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY