Cashier Job Description

Salary Range

$28,720 - $36,330

Experience

Entry-level

Work Environment

Retail or service setting

What Does a Cashier Do?

Cashiers run the checkout lanes at grocery stores, pharmacies, big-box retailers, gas stations and movie theaters, scanning or keying in each item, taking payment and handing over the receipt and change. Most of the shift is spent standing at one register, weighing produce, checking IDs for alcohol and tobacco, applying coupons and calling for price checks. Because the cashier is the last person a shopper deals with before leaving, the job also covers returns, where-is-it questions and keeping the line moving when it backs up on a Saturday afternoon.

Other Job Titles for This Work

Workers in this occupation report titles such as Cage Cashier, Center Aisle Cashier, Central Aisle Cashier, Checker, Customer Assistant, Sales Associate, Store Attendant, Store Clerk.

Cashier Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of a cashier include:

• Count the starting till at the beginning of the shift and confirm there are enough small bills and coins to make change.
• Scan barcodes, key in produce codes and weigh loose items on the register scale to ring up each order correctly.
• Take payment by cash, debit and credit card, mobile wallet, check, gift card or EBT, and count back change to the customer.
• Check photo ID before selling alcohol, tobacco or other age-restricted products, following state law and store policy.
• Apply coupons, loyalty discounts and price adjustments, and page a supervisor when a void or override needs approval.
• Process returns and exchanges at the register, checking the receipt and the condition of the returned merchandise.
• Bag orders with heavy items on the bottom, keeping raw meat and household chemicals away from other food.
• Point shoppers to the right aisle, or call a stock clerk over the paging system when someone needs help finding an item.
• Wipe down the belt and scanner, empty the lane trash, and restock bags and impulse items during slow periods.
• Close out the drawer at the end of the shift, count it with a supervisor and report any overage or shortage.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as a cashier, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• Quick, accurate cash counting and making change without leaning on the register display
• Working knowledge of point-of-sale registers, handheld scanners, card readers and electronic food scales
• Memory for common produce PLU codes and the store's coupon and price-match rules
• Spotting counterfeit bills and following store procedure for checks and suspicious card transactions
• Standing for a full shift and lifting cases of water or bags of pet food from the cart to the belt
• Staying friendly and steady through a long line, a declined card or a customer arguing over a sale price
• Turning down an underage buyer or an expired coupon politely, without letting the exchange escalate
• Responsible-vendor or alcohol-seller training, which many states require for cashiers who sell beer and wine

Education and Training

Most cashiers learn the job in a few days of on-the-job training: shadowing an experienced cashier, learning the register, and being walked through cash-handling, ID-check and refund rules. Formal schooling matters less here than in most jobs. About 44 percent of workers in this occupation report a high school diploma or GED, and 37 percent report less than high school, which reflects how often this is a first job for teenagers and students. In stores that sell alcohol, you may need to complete a short state-approved seller course before working a register alone. Reliable cashiers often move up to head cashier, front-end supervisor or customer service desk roles.

Salary and Job Outlook

While self-checkout technology is changing how stores take payment, cashiers remain among the largest occupations in the United States. Customer-facing cashier roles continue to be essential in grocery stores, restaurants, and specialty retail.

Cashier Pay Range

Highest-Paying States for Cashiers

The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($38,880), Washington ($38,720), California ($37,100), Colorado ($36,870), Hawaii ($36,780). Pay is lowest in Louisiana ($26,750), Mississippi ($26,390), West Virginia ($26,370).

What the Work Is Like

O*NET surveys people who work as cashiers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:

• 84% deal with rude or angry people at least once a week
• 78% are on the phone every day
• 71% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
• 69% spend more than half the workday on their feet
• 69% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
• 68% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
• 58% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day

Education Workers Say the Job Needs

Tools and Software Cashiers Use

Tools and equipment

• 10-key calculators
• Belt conveyors
• Cardboard balers
• Cash registers
• Credit card readers
• Desktop computers
• Electronic cash registers
• Electronic food scales
• Electronic funds transfer EFT terminals
• Food scales

Software

• Apple Safari
• Microsoft Edge
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Windows
• Mozilla Firefox
• Accounting software
• AFEXDirect
• Bookkeeping software
• Database software
• Electronic medical record EMR software
• Handheld computer device software

Is This Job a Good Fit for You?

People who do well in this job tend to enjoy organized work with data, records and clear procedures as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.

Skills O*NET rates most important: Service Orientation, Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking.

Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Sales and Marketing, Administration and Management, Mathematics.

Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.

Related Careers

These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:

• Cashier Clerk job description
• Teller job description
• Customer Service Representative job description
• Call Center Agent job description
• Service Advisor job description
• Sales Assistant job description
• Retail Associate job description
• Personal Shopper job description

Applying for a Cashier Job

• Business cover letter sample
• How to write the skills section of a resume
• How to describe your work experience
• Job interview tips
• Interview thank-you note

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