Who Earns What

How much does a cashier make?

US Cashiers
$32,880

a year · about $16 an hour

A typical cashier in the United States makes $32,880 a year, about $16 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

What do they do?

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.

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!

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know
This job$32,880
Typical worker$50,980
Elementary teacher$63,970
Doctor$244,180
Cashier$32,880

If 100 people had this job

Most earn between $24,530 and $40,410
34 of 100
not many

How do you become one?

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.

School needed: High school plus some training

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

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.

Where does it pay most?

Highest in District of Columbia ($38,880), lowest in West Virginia ($26,370).

See every state
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.

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Who earns more?
Data table and sources
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

Official definition: 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).

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