Cashiers

Career Overview

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 Known As

  • Cashier
  • Checker
  • Sales Associate
  • Store Clerk

Alternate Job Titles

  • 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)
  • Cashier
  • Cashier Associate
  • Cashier Host
  • Cashier Hostess
  • Cashier Stocker

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

  • Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
  • Greet customers entering establishments.
  • Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
  • Assist customers by providing information and resolving their complaints.
  • Monitor checkout stations to ensure they have adequate cash available and are staffed appropriately.
  • Establish or identify prices of goods, services, or admission, and tabulate bills, using calculators, cash registers, or optical price scanners.
  • Answer incoming phone calls.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

  • Customer and Personal Service

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

  • Oral Comprehension
  • Oral Expression
  • Near Vision
  • Written Comprehension
  • Speech Clarity
  • Information Ordering
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Speech Recognition
  • Selective Attention
  • Time Sharing

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Social Orientation
  • Attention to Detail
  • Cooperation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

  • Relationships
  • Support
  • Achievement
  • Independence
  • Working Conditions

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

  • Apple Safari
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Mozilla Firefox

Tools & Equipment

  • 10-key calculators
  • Belt conveyors
  • Cardboard balers
  • Cash registers
  • Credit card readers
  • Desktop computers
  • Electronic cash registers
  • Electronic food scales
  • Electronic funds transfer EFT terminals
  • Food scales
  • Gas pump controllers
  • Handheld bar code scanners
  • Laptop computers
  • Laser printers
  • Lottery ticket machines

Work Environment

  • Contact With Others
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  • Telephone Conversations
  • Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
  • Spend Time Standing

Salary & Job Market

Salary PercentileAnnual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)$23,070
Median$31,190
Top Earners (90th percentile)$38,220

Workers Employed Nationally: 3,148,030

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:


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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

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