Tellers Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, tellers earn $46,880 at the median, or about $22.54 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $43,057 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 69.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K 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 tellers
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What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Tellers pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $43K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 71% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tellers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $46K | $44K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $43K | $44K |
| Richmond | $46K | $47K |
| Roanoke | $38K | $40K |
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 tellers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Tellers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tellers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $48K | +11% | 9,180 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +10% | 10,270 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +9% | 7,190 |
| California | $47K | +9% | 25,230 |
| Alaska | $47K | +9% | 1,020 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +8% | 3,220 |
| Colorado | $46K | +7% | 5,370 |
| Maryland | $46K | +7% | 3,860 |
| District of Columbia | $46K | +6% | 700 |
| Florida | $46K | +6% | 14,700 |
| Delaware | $45K | +5% | 1,400 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | +5% | 830 |
| Arizona | $45K | +5% | 3,770 |
| Virginia | $45K | +5% | 7,410 |
| Nevada | $45K | +5% | 1,850 |
| North Carolina | $45K | +4% | 5,260 |
| New Hampshire | $44K | +3% | 1,550 |
| Oregon | $44K | +3% | 2,990 |
| New York | $44K | +3% | 15,040 |
| Minnesota | $44K | +3% | 5,740 |
| Vermont | $44K | +2% | 930 |
| Hawaii | $44K | +2% | 1,760 |
| Maine | $43K | -0% | 2,410 |
| Idaho | $42K | -2% | 2,690 |
| South Carolina | $42K | -2% | 4,400 |
| Georgia | $42K | -3% | 7,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $40K | -7% | 14,800 |
| Ohio | $40K | -7% | 13,890 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | -8% | 9,030 |
| North Dakota | $39K | -9% | 1,990 |
| Michigan | $39K | -9% | 13,420 |
| Indiana | $39K | -10% | 8,400 |
| Illinois | $39K | -10% | 16,960 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -11% | 1,560 |
| Iowa | $38K | -11% | 5,470 |
| Utah | $38K | -11% | 4,790 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -11% | 970 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -11% | 4,590 |
| Montana | $38K | -12% | 1,660 |
| Texas | $38K | -12% | 25,860 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -12% | 2,330 |
| Alabama | $37K | -13% | 6,770 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -14% | 5,350 |
| Kansas | $37K | -14% | 4,720 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -14% | 3,750 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -15% | 7,560 |
| Missouri | $37K | -15% | 10,030 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -17% | 7,230 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -17% | 4,250 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -17% | 4,900 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -20% | 2,620 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track tellers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a teller afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 71% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tellers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tellers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,288/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 98% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is teller a high-paying job in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $43K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for tellers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tellers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $46,880 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,130, and experienced tellers can clear $56,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,164/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 71% 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 tellers 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 tellers salary is worth about $43,057 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tellers 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.