Retail Sales Workers

How to become a Cashier

Official title: Cashiers

Also called: Cage Cashier, Cashier, Center Aisle Cashier, Central Aisle Cashier, Checker, Customer Assistant, Sales Associate, Store Attendant, Store Clerk, Toll Collector

Receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions. May use electronic scanners, cash registers, or related equipment. May process credit or debit card transactions and validate checks.

Main tasks

Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
Greet customers entering establishments.
Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
Assist customers by providing information and resolving their complaints.
Monitor checkout stations to ensure they have adequate cash available and are staffed appropriately.
Establish or identify prices of goods, services, or admission, and tabulate bills, using calculators, cash registers, or optical price scanners.
Answer incoming phone calls.
Answer customers' questions, and provide information on procedures or policies.

How to become one

Cashiers typically have no formal education requirement to enter the occupation. They are trained on the job.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Licence: A licence is required in 6 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $32,880 a year The middle half earn $28,720 to $36,330.
About 3,106,300 people work in this job now, and about 2,905,700 are projected by 2035. (-6.5%)
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Cashier?

Cashiers typically have no formal education requirement to enter the occupation. They are trained on the job.

How much does a Cashier earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $32,880 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $28,720 to $36,330.

Is a Cashier a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 3,106,300 to about 2,905,700 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Cashier?

Usually not. Only 14% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Cashier?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.