What is a cashier and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
introduction image

Cashiers are retail workers who operate cash registers and process customer transactions. They scan items, bag purchases, and answer customer questions about product availability and pricing. Cashiers will handle cash, credit cards, and other forms of payment, ensuring that the correct amount is received and change is given. They can be responsible for balancing their registers at the end of their shift and preparing deposits for the bank.

ScoreCashierUS Average
Salary
2.2

Avg. Salary $28,144

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.3

Growth Rate -10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.92%

Asian 7.49%

Black or African American 9.90%

Hispanic or Latino 20.68%

Unknown 5.17%

White 55.83%

Gender

female 72.88%

male 27.12%

Age - 28
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 28
Stress Level
5.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
3.7

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Cashier?

Pros

  • Develops customer service skills

  • Flexible scheduling options

  • May offer employee discounts or benefits

  • Provides an opportunity to work with a team

  • Can be a good entry-level job for those just starting their careers

Cons

  • Repetitive tasks can become monotonous

  • May have to deal with difficult or angry customers

  • May have to work weekends, holidays, or evenings

  • Low pay and limited opportunities for salary growth

  • High stress during peak business hours

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Cashier career paths

Key steps to become a cashier

  1. Explore cashier education requirements

    Most common cashier degrees

    High School Diploma

    45.0 %

    Bachelor's

    21.4 %

    Associate

    17.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific cashier skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Front End14.12%
    Cash Handling10.29%
    Basic Math9.77%
    POS9.61%
    Customer Service8.01%
  3. Complete relevant cashier training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cashiers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a cashier based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cashier resumes.
  4. Research cashier duties and responsibilities

    • Manage employees by making schedules, doing payroll, and maintain an all around comfortable working environment.
    • Develop, implement, and update standard operating procedures relating to daily operations, financial transactions and management, customer service.
    • Demonstrate basic math skills and record daily earnings without error.
    • Perform basic math computations, such as addition subtraction, and division.
  5. Prepare your cashier resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cashier resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cashier resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Cashier Resume templates

    Build a professional Cashier resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Cashier resume.
    Cashier Resume
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  6. Apply for cashier jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a cashier job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Cashier Job

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Average cashier salary

The average Cashier salary in the United States is $28,144 per year or $14 per hour. Cashier salaries range between $21,000 and $36,000 per year.

Average Cashier Salary
$28,144 Yearly
$13.53 hourly

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How do cashiers rate their job?

4.2/5

Based On 5 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Cashier reviews

profile
4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Pros

A cashier I get to count, hold conversations, clean my area,stock my area

Cons

Only thing I dislike doing is being the bad guy when someone is shoplifting


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2021
Pros

Learn usefully ways to improve health with food viewed as medicine.

Cons

Pretty new field


profile
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

Handling well cash and serving customers fast and smiling at them

Cons

Unable to assist the customers in good time.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.