Cashier salary in the U.S.
Cashiers in the U.S. earn a median of $32,880 a year ($15.81 an hour), based on BLS data for 3,089,410 workers.
Pay ranges from $24,530 for the lowest-paid 10% to $40,410 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $33,180, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cashiers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $24,530 | $11.79 |
| 25th percentile | $28,720 | $13.81 |
| Median | $32,880 | $15.81 |
| 75th percentile | $36,330 | $17.47 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $40,410 | $19.43 |
| Average (mean) | $33,180 | $15.95 |
Half of cashiers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,740 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,370 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,264.62 |
| Weekly | $632.31 |
| Hourly | $15.81 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cashier salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $38,880 | 6,060 |
| Washington | $38,720 | 61,050 |
| California | $37,100 | 336,110 |
| Colorado | $36,870 | 51,670 |
| Hawaii | $36,780 | 10,780 |
| Alaska | $36,130 | 5,810 |
| Vermont | $35,720 | 7,030 |
| Connecticut | $35,550 | 30,920 |
| Massachusetts | $35,520 | 58,880 |
| New York | $35,500 | 158,890 |
| Oregon | $35,300 | 37,660 |
| Maine | $34,930 | 14,240 |
| Rhode Island | $34,860 | 9,260 |
| Minnesota | $34,620 | 58,190 |
| Arizona | $34,600 | 72,570 |
| New Jersey | $34,590 | 107,680 |
| Illinois | $34,490 | 139,630 |
| Maryland | $34,390 | 49,910 |
| Montana | $34,190 | 12,170 |
| New Hampshire | $33,840 | 17,250 |
| Delaware | $33,490 | 11,450 |
| Utah | $31,600 | 22,940 |
| North Dakota | $31,460 | 9,510 |
| Wisconsin | $30,880 | 65,380 |
| Wyoming | $30,810 | 5,840 |
| Virginia | $30,580 | 83,890 |
| Florida | $30,530 | 201,370 |
| Missouri | $30,520 | 69,430 |
| Idaho | $30,370 | 17,200 |
| Nebraska | $30,250 | 20,650 |
| New Mexico | $30,120 | 19,020 |
| Nevada | $29,870 | 30,160 |
| South Dakota | $29,780 | 12,860 |
| Michigan | $29,740 | 92,930 |
| Indiana | $29,670 | 68,350 |
| Ohio | $29,260 | 103,020 |
| Texas | $29,230 | 245,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,220 | 110,950 |
| Georgia | $29,070 | 97,540 |
| Iowa | $28,970 | 41,450 |
| North Carolina | $28,880 | 106,440 |
| Kansas | $28,800 | 33,080 |
| Kentucky | $28,590 | 44,550 |
| Tennessee | $28,590 | 63,350 |
| South Carolina | $28,530 | 56,550 |
| Alabama | $28,250 | 46,420 |
| Oklahoma | $28,180 | 41,140 |
| Virgin Islands | $28,040 | 770 |
| Arkansas | $27,670 | 28,270 |
| Louisiana | $26,750 | 46,350 |
| Mississippi | $26,390 | 30,490 |
| West Virginia | $26,370 | 17,360 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,140 | 27,320 |
| Guam | $21,610 | 1,620 |
Best-paying metro areas for cashiers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,210 | 30,470 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,960 | 16,530 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $41,270 | 38,250 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $39,010 | 1,500 |
| Boulder, CO | $38,520 | 3,100 |
| Napa, CA | $38,500 | 1,540 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $38,440 | 5,030 |
| Bozeman, MT | $38,130 | 1,460 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $38,100 | 1,790 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $37,960 | 1,270 |
| Vallejo, CA | $37,810 | 3,630 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $37,620 | 23,860 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $37,390 | 2,530 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $37,340 | 670 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $37,340 | 2,470 |
Metro areas with the most cashiers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 173,830 | $35,950 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 109,940 | $36,980 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 99,240 | $35,010 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 65,070 | $29,910 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 56,340 | $30,250 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 54,950 | $29,350 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 54,100 | $33,050 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 51,180 | $30,010 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 50,600 | $35,470 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 48,660 | $34,920 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 42,920 | $36,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 38,250 | $41,270 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 37,910 | $30,090 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 35,730 | $35,700 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 32,760 | $35,760 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salesperson | $35,410 | $17.03 |
| Counter and Rental Clerks | $41,300 | $19.86 |
| Parts Salesperson | $38,630 | $18.57 |
| Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers | $36,220 | $17.41 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | $34.65 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $48,520 | $23.33 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $78,660 | $37.82 |
| Insurance Sales Agent | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $104,920 | $50.44 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $87,520 | $42.08 |
| Real Estate Sales Agent | $52,830 | $25.40 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $48,280 | $23.21 |
| Advertising Sales Agent | $64,820 | $31.16 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 41-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cashier make in the U.S.?
The median salary for cashiers in the U.S. is $32,880 a year, or $15.81 an hour. Pay ranges from $24,530 for the lowest-paid 10% to $40,410 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cashiers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of cashiers in the U.S. earn at least $40,410 a year. The top 25% earn $36,330 or more.
What is the starting pay for cashiers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $24,530 a year, and a quarter of cashiers earn $28,720 or less.
How many cashiers work in the U.S.?
About 3,089,410 cashiers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.