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Salary comparison

Counter and Rental Clerks vs. Cashiers: Who Earns More?

Counter and Rental Clerks out-earn Cashiers by $8K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Counter and Rental Clerks land at $41,300 and Cashiers at $32,880. The education gap is real: counter and rental clerk programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while cashier programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Counter and Rental Clerks is District of Columbia ($53,760); for Cashiers it's District of Columbia ($38,880).

Counter and Rental Clerks
Cashiers
Median salary
$41,300
$32,880
Hourly rate
$19.86/hr
$15.81/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$29,800
$24,530
Senior level (90th %)
$65,370
$40,410
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
400,810
3,089,410
Job growth (10-year)
3.2%
-9.9%
Category
Sales
Sales
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Counter and Rental Clerks median pay.

State
Counter and Rental Clerks
Cashiers
District of Columbia
$53,760
$38,880
Vermont
$48,430
$35,720
Washington
$47,820
$38,720
Maine
$46,870
$34,930
Rhode Island
$46,360
$34,860
New York
$46,270
$35,500
Colorado
$46,240
$36,870
California
$45,010
$37,100
Minnesota
$44,850
$34,620
Hawaii
$44,420
$36,780
Massachusetts
$44,070
$35,520
Arizona
$43,920
$34,600
Oregon
$43,820
$35,300
Alaska
$43,450
$36,130
Connecticut
$39,490
$35,550

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Counter and Rental Clerks or Cashiers?

Counter and Rental Clerks earn more nationally. The median is $41,300 for Counter and Rental Clerks versus $32,880 for Cashiers, a difference of $8K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Counter and Rental Clerks or Cashiers?

Counter and Rental Clerks has the better 10-year outlook at 3.2% projected growth, compared to -9.9% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Counter and Rental Clerks or Cashiers?

Counter and Rental Clerks typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Cashiers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Counter and Rental Clerks get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Counter and Rental Clerks at $53,760/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Counter and Rental Clerks vs. Cashiers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Counter and Rental Clerks earn $53,760 vs. $38,880 for Cashiers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Counter and Rental Clerks salary breakdownView →Full Cashiers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Counter and Rental Clerks by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Cashiers by take-home payExplore →How to become a counter and rental clerksGuide →How to become a cashiersGuide →