Cashiers Salary
Cashiers in Salem, OR make a median of $34,340 a year, or about $16.51 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.65), that's roughly $33,131 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,560/month, about 65.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salem’s Regional Price Parity (103.65). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cashiers
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What this looks like in Salem
Cashiers pay in Salem tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $33K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,560/month, which is 68.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.65) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cashiers in metros near Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $37K | $35K |
| Eugene-Springfield | $34K | $34K |
| Bend | $36K | $35K |
| Medford | $34K | $34K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salem, OR
Entry-level cashiers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Cashiers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cashiers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $39K | +18% | 6,060 |
| Washington | $39K | +18% | 61,050 |
| California | $37K | +13% | 336,110 |
| Colorado | $37K | +12% | 51,670 |
| Hawaii | $37K | +12% | 10,780 |
| Alaska | $36K | +10% | 5,810 |
| Vermont | $36K | +9% | 7,030 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +8% | 30,920 |
| Massachusetts | $36K | +8% | 58,880 |
| New York | $36K | +8% | 158,890 |
| Oregon | $35K | +7% | 37,660 |
| Maine | $35K | +6% | 14,240 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | +6% | 9,260 |
| Minnesota | $35K | +5% | 58,190 |
| Arizona | $35K | +5% | 72,570 |
| New Jersey | $35K | +5% | 107,680 |
| Illinois | $34K | +5% | 139,630 |
| Maryland | $34K | +5% | 49,910 |
| Montana | $34K | +4% | 12,170 |
| New Hampshire | $34K | +3% | 17,250 |
| Delaware | $33K | +2% | 11,450 |
| Utah | $32K | -4% | 22,940 |
| North Dakota | $31K | -4% | 9,510 |
| Wisconsin | $31K | -6% | 65,380 |
| Wyoming | $31K | -6% | 5,840 |
| Virginia | $31K | -7% | 83,890 |
| Florida | $31K | -7% | 201,370 |
| Missouri | $31K | -7% | 69,430 |
| Idaho | $30K | -8% | 17,200 |
| Nebraska | $30K | -8% | 20,650 |
| New Mexico | $30K | -8% | 19,020 |
| Nevada | $30K | -9% | 30,160 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -9% | 12,860 |
| Michigan | $30K | -10% | 92,930 |
| Indiana | $30K | -10% | 68,350 |
| Ohio | $29K | -11% | 103,020 |
| Texas | $29K | -11% | 245,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $29K | -11% | 110,950 |
| Georgia | $29K | -12% | 97,540 |
| Iowa | $29K | -12% | 41,450 |
| North Carolina | $29K | -12% | 106,440 |
| Kansas | $29K | -12% | 33,080 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -13% | 44,550 |
| Tennessee | $29K | -13% | 63,350 |
| South Carolina | $29K | -13% | 56,550 |
| Alabama | $28K | -14% | 46,420 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -14% | 41,140 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -16% | 28,270 |
| Louisiana | $27K | -19% | 46,350 |
| Mississippi | $26K | -20% | 30,490 |
| West Virginia | $26K | -20% | 17,360 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track cashiers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Salem numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cashier afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salem?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 68.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,560/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cashiers in Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cashiers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,874/month. At HUD’s $1,560/month FMR, rent would take 83% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cashier a high-paying job in Salem?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $33K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Salem compare to the national average for cashiers?
Salem pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $33K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cashiers make in Salem, OR?
The median is $34,340 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,230, and experienced cashiers can clear $42,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,263/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,560/month, which eats 68.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cashiers salary go in Salem?
Salem has a Regional Price Parity of 103.65 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cashiers salary is worth about $33,131 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cashiers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
