How much does a cashier make?

The median cashier salary in the United States is $32,880 per year ($15.81/hour). Salaries range from $24,530 (10th percentile) to $40,410 (90th percentile). There are 3,089,410 cashier jobs in the U.S. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.

Which state pays cashiers the most?

The highest paying state for cashiers is District of Columbia at $38,880 median salary.

Is cashier a good career?

Cashier employment is projected to decline 9.9% from 2024 to 2034 (decline). There are approximately 542,600 job openings per year. Typical education required: No formal educational credential.

What interview questions are asked for cashier roles?

Common cashier interview questions include: "Why do you want to work at [store]?", "How would you handle an angry customer?", "Tell me about a time you had to work as part of a team.". Interview format at top employers ranges from behavioral panels (STAR method) to technical case rounds — for example Costco typically uses 1-2 rounds.

What is the career ladder for cashiers?

The typical cashier career ladder: Cashier (Entry) (0-1 yrs, $25k-$35k) → Shift Lead / Key Holder (1-3 yrs, $30k-$42k) → Assistant Manager / Department Manager (2-5 yrs, $36k-$55k + bonus) → Store Manager (5-10 yrs, $50k-$95k + bonus).

What certifications should cashiers get?

Top-ROI certifications for cashiers: In-house cashier certifications (produce codes, WIC processing, EBT) (Free — employer-provided.); Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) ($60-120.).

How do you negotiate a cashier salary?

Anchor on documented market data (BLS median $32,880, p75 $36,330), specific outcomes you've delivered, and the specific band for your years of experience. Base is usually fixed at hire. Negotiate on: guaranteed hours, shift preference, sign-on if the store offers, store discount, and PTO accrual. Ask about promotion timeline explicitly at hire....

Cashier Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Cashiers

The median cashier salary in the United States is $32,880 per year ($15.81/hour). Salaries range from $24,530 at the entry level to $40,410+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 3,089,410 cashier jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to decline 9.9% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asCashierChecker

Median Salary

$32,880

per year

Hourly Rate

$15.81

per hour

Employment

3,089,410

jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile

$24,530

25th percentile

$28,720

Median

$32,880

75th percentile

$36,330

90th percentile

$40,410

Job Growth (2024-2034)

-9.9%

Decline

Annual Openings

542,600

jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

No formal educational credential

Training Needed

Short-term on-the-job training

Cashier Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for cashiers.

Cashiers process transactions at grocery, retail, gas stations, fast food, and specialty stores. Nearly always entry-level and part-time to start. Base pay is minimum wage in most segments, with modest differentials for overnight, weekend, and higher-cost cities. This is a stepping-stone role — the actual money comes from advancement to shift lead, key holder, department lead, or another role in the store. Employers screen for: honesty (cash handling), speed, customer service demeanor, and attendance.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Cash + card handling

Counting change without a calculator, processing card/mobile/EBT/gift, handling returns and voids.

POS fluency

Ringing produce, applying coupons, discounts, splitting tender, processing WIC or EBT, handling exceptions.

Product knowledge

Enough to answer 'where do I find X' and 'is X on sale.' Cashiers who know the store get promoted faster.

Customer service basics

Greeting, eye contact, professionalism during complaints. Handling angry customers without escalating.

Speed + accuracy under pressure

Peak-hour throughput matters. Speed without accuracy = shorts at the drawer count.

Loss prevention awareness

Spotting counterfeit bills, catching skimmed items, following store LP procedures without confronting suspects.

How to Become a Cashier

1
Apply broadly
Grocery, big-box retail, gas stations, fast food. Entry-level with minimal experience required.
2
Complete paid training
1-3 days typical. Learn POS, cash procedures, store policies.
3
Master the top 20 SKUs / departments cold
You'll ring them constantly. Speed comes from familiarity.
4
Volunteer for advancement
Ask for shift-lead training. Cover for the lead when they're out. Learn opening/closing procedures.
5
Move to shift lead or key holder (6-18 months)
First promotion typically. $2-5/hr raise plus access to management path.

Career Progression

Cashier (Entry)

0-1 yrs$25k-$35k

•Ring transactions
•Restock front-end
•Handle returns per policy

Next: Shift lead or key holder.

Shift Lead / Key Holder

1-3 yrs$30k-$42k

•Open or close the store
•Handle escalated customer issues
•Own the safe count

Next: Assistant manager.

Assistant Manager / Department Manager

2-5 yrs$36k-$55k + bonus

•Run a shift as manager on duty
•Own scheduling for a department
•Interview and hire

Next: Store manager.

Store Manager

5-10 yrs$50k-$95k + bonus

•Own store P&L
•Manage 15-80+ associates
•Interface with district manager

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 10 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Why do you want to work at [store]?behavioral

Concrete beats generic. 'I've been shopping here for years' + a specific reason (schedule fit, promotion path, culture). Not 'I need any job.'

Q2. How would you handle an angry customer?situational

Listen first, don't interrupt. Empathize. Offer what you CAN do. Involve a supervisor when needed. Never argue or take it personally. Screening for: composure.

Q3. Tell me about a time you had to work as part of a team.behavioral

STAR. Any team experience — school, previous job, sports, volunteer. Focus on your specific role and outcome.

Q4. You're missing $5 at the end of your shift. What do you do?situational

Recount carefully. Notify the shift lead — don't hide it. Cash discrepancies happen; hiding them is the firing offense.

Q5. Can you handle standing for a full shift?behavioral

Honest answer. If yes: yes. If you have medical restrictions, disclose so you get proper accommodation. Screening for: physical readiness + honesty.

Resume Template — Cashier (0-1 yr)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Cashier (0-1 yr)

▸Processed 200-400 daily transactions with 99% register accuracy over 12 months at high-volume grocery store.
▸Maintained 96% attendance rate; recognized as employee of the month twice.
▸Trained 3 new cashiers on POS and store procedures.
▸Consistently achieved top-tier customer service scores on mystery shopper program.

What Gets You Rejected

✗Attendance history — #1 firing reason for cashiers.
✗Cash handling issues in past roles.
✗Poor eye contact / mumbling — you're customer-facing all shift.
✗Bad-mouthing previous employers.
✗No interest in advancement — signals short-term hire.

Salary Negotiation Levers

✓Shift preference (nights, weekends often pay differentials).
✓Guaranteed hours — big deal for part-timers.
✓Bilingual — some retailers pay a differential.
✓Willingness to be trained on multiple registers (self-checkout, deli).
✓Store discount.
✓Promotion track — ask when the next key holder or lead slot opens.

Cashier Resume Review — $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired cashiers. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

✓ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
✓ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
✓ Missing skills / keywords flagged
✓ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
✓ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Cashier Career Kit — $19

✓ All 10 interview questions with expert answers
✓ 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
✓ Interview format intel for 5 top employers
✓ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
✓ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
✓ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
✓ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
✓ Detailed salary negotiation script
✓ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
✓ Downloadable PDF for offline access
✓ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription

✓ 7-day money-back guarantee — no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

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— Anonymous, Financial Analyst

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Cashier Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) →

Salary Map — Click a state for details

$26K

$39K■ No data

Top Paying States

Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.

State	Median	vs. National	Employment
District of Columbia	$38,880	+18.2%	6,060
Washington	$38,720	+17.8%	61,050
California	$37,100	+12.8%	336,110
Colorado	$36,870	+12.1%	51,670
Hawaii	$36,780	+11.9%	10,780
Alaska	$36,130	+9.9%	5,810
Vermont	$35,720	+8.6%	7,030
Connecticut	$35,550	+8.1%	30,920
Massachusetts	$35,520	+8.0%	58,880
New York	$35,500	+8.0%	158,890

Showing 1–10 of 51

Cashier Salary by Metro Area

Metro Area	Median	vs. National
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$44,210	+34.5%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$42,960	+30.7%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$41,270	+25.5%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI	$39,010	+18.6%
Boulder, CO	$38,520	+17.2%
Napa, CA	$38,500	+17.1%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$38,440	+16.9%
Bozeman, MT	$38,130	+16.0%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$38,100	+15.9%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	$37,960	+15.5%

Showing 1–10 of 396

Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.

How does this compare to pro athletes?

A cashier earning $32,880/year would need 1813 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 1946 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.

See all sports & celebrity salaries →

📈 See how cashier salaries have changed over the past decade.

View Cashier salary trend (2011–2024) →