Counter and Rental Clerks Salary
Counter and Rental Clerks in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $48,010 a year, or about $23.08 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $44,094 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 67.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 counter and rental clerks
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for counter and rental clerks, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $41K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 69.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for counter and rental clerks in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $42K | $43K |
| Richmond | $47K | $48K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $39K | $38K |
| Roanoke | $39K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level counter and rental clerks (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Counter and Rental Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Counter and Rental Clerks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $54K | +30% | 480 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +18% | 9,540 |
| Vermont | $48K | +17% | 750 |
| Washington | $48K | +16% | 14,600 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +14% | 1,590 |
| Maine | $47K | +13% | 1,180 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | +12% | 840 |
| New York | $46K | +12% | 18,320 |
| Colorado | $46K | +12% | 13,900 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +11% | 6,600 |
| Virginia | $46K | +10% | 12,910 |
| California | $45K | +9% | 67,770 |
| Minnesota | $45K | +9% | 4,710 |
| North Dakota | $45K | +8% | 1,460 |
| Hawaii | $44K | +8% | 1,700 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +7% | 8,220 |
| Arizona | $44K | +6% | 11,080 |
| Montana | $44K | +6% | 1,490 |
| Wyoming | $44K | +6% | 900 |
| Oregon | $44K | +6% | 5,450 |
| Alaska | $43K | +5% | 660 |
| Pennsylvania | $43K | +4% | 10,780 |
| Maryland | $39K | -4% | 4,060 |
| Connecticut | $39K | -4% | 3,060 |
| Idaho | $39K | -5% | 2,070 |
| Michigan | $39K | -5% | 13,410 |
| Nevada | $39K | -5% | 2,460 |
| Kansas | $39K | -5% | 2,990 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -6% | 2,960 |
| Iowa | $39K | -6% | 1,900 |
| Delaware | $39K | -7% | 870 |
| Ohio | $39K | -7% | 9,400 |
| Georgia | $39K | -7% | 11,490 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -7% | 17,580 |
| Illinois | $38K | -8% | 8,440 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -8% | 7,640 |
| Missouri | $38K | -8% | 4,880 |
| Florida | $38K | -8% | 27,160 |
| Utah | $38K | -9% | 3,280 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -10% | 6,280 |
| Texas | $37K | -10% | 36,600 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -10% | 3,920 |
| Indiana | $37K | -11% | 7,990 |
| Nebraska | $36K | -12% | 3,960 |
| South Dakota | $36K | -12% | 690 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -12% | 2,820 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -14% | 2,360 |
| Alabama | $35K | -15% | 8,010 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -15% | 3,560 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -15% | 3,740 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -16% | 2,300 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track counter and rental clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Sales
Frequently asked questions
Can a counter and rental clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 69.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for counter and rental clerks in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new counter and rental clerks typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,131/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 105% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is counter and rental clerk a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $48K here vs. $41K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for counter and rental clerks?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do counter and rental clerks make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $48,010 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,520, and experienced counter and rental clerks can clear $78,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,234/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 69.4% 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 counter and rental clerks salary go in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 counter and rental clerks salary is worth about $44,094 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do counter and rental clerks 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.