Occupation · SOC 41-2011
Cashiers
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.
Median wage
$31,190
$23,070–$38,220
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
3,148,030
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
2 mapped
Core skills
Service OrientationSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessActive Listening
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageSales and Marketing
Technology & tools
Accounting softwarePoint of sale POS softwareInternet browser softwareData base user interface and query softwareMedical software
Representative 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 customers' questions, and provide information on procedures or policies.Answer incoming phone calls.Request information or assistance, using paging systems.Help customers find the location of products.Process merchandise returns and exchanges.Maintain clean and orderly checkout areas, and complete other general cleaning duties, such as mopping floors and emptying trash cans.Calculate total payments received during a time period, and reconcile this with total sales.Count money in cash drawers at the beginning of shifts to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change.Issue trading stamps, and redeem food stamps and coupons.Post charges against guests' or patients' accounts.Compute and record totals of transactions.Weigh items sold by weight to determine prices.Sort, count, and wrap currency and coins.Keep periodic balance sheets of amounts and numbers of transactions.Compile and maintain non-monetary reports and records.Supervise others and provide on-the-job training.Assist with duties in other areas of the store, such as monitoring fitting rooms or bagging and carrying out customers' items.Sell tickets and other items to customers.Stock shelves, sort and reshelve returned items, and mark prices on items and shelves.Bag, box, wrap, or gift-wrap merchandise, and prepare packages for shipment.Cash checks for customers.Offer customers carry-out service at the completion of transactions.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Point-of-sale system — operate accurately on common transactions under a senior associate's review.Payment methods (cash, credit, debit, mobile, EBT, gift card) — accept and process correctly.Cash-drawer counts and shift-close reconciliation — perform to penny-accuracy under supervisor review.Customer greetings and basic service scripts — deliver consistently throughout the shift.Common produce codes and PLU lookups (grocery context) — memorize and apply during ringing.Returns, voids, and price overrides — request from a supervisor rather than performing solo.Loss-prevention basics (signature checks, ID verification) — apply consistently on payments that require them.Bagging conventions (cold separate, fragile on top, heavy at bottom) — execute reliably.Coupons and basic promotions — apply correctly on routine transactions.Personal-protective standards (lifting limits, slip-trip awareness) — follow throughout the shift.
developing
Sustained high-volume throughput during peak periods — maintain accuracy at speed.Difficult-customer interactions (complaints, price disputes, declined cards) — handle within front-end authority.Complex returns and exchanges within company policy — process without supervisor involvement.Self-checkout assistance and station monitoring — supervise multiple lanes during light shifts.Cash-handling for the entire shift (drops, change orders, change requests) — execute reliably.Loyalty programs and credit applications — pitch and process per company training.Coupons, tax exemptions, and discount stacking — apply correctly even on edge-case transactions.Newer cashiers on the lane — buddy with during their first week.Front-end recovery (sweeping, baggage carousel, queue management) — manage during slow periods.Shrink-prevention behaviors (scan-every-item, weight verification) — apply consistently.
proficient
Head-cashier or front-end-lead responsibilities — coordinate registers, breaks, and customer service across the front end.Customer escalations that reach the manager-on-duty — resolve to satisfaction.Cash-office responsibilities (deposits, change orders, safe management) — perform with full accountability.Cashier training program — deliver across new-hire cohorts.Loss-prevention incidents — recognize, document, and partner with LP and management on response.Front-end metrics (transactions per labor hour, items per minute, scan accuracy) — interpret and coach to.Self-checkout-area ownership during peak shifts — manage multiple lanes plus the floor concurrently.POS system updates and troubleshooting — execute and train the team on changes.Cashier-team morale and recognition — set the tone across the shift.Cross-coverage to other departments during front-end downtime — flex effectively.
advanced
Front-end operations across a store — own as front-end manager with full team and metrics responsibility.Front-end labor and shrink budget — manage to monthly targets with the store manager.Hiring, training, and performance management for 20-40 front-end associates — shape the team.Cross-store best-practices (district level) — adopt and contribute on shrink, speed, and customer experience.Major events and seasonal rushes — plan and execute end-to-end (Black Friday, holiday, back-to-school).Customer-experience metrics (CSAT, mystery shop) — own and translate into front-end coaching.Loss-prevention partnership at store level — represent front-end in LP investigations and program design.POS rollouts and pilot programs — lead at the store level in partnership with corporate.Front-end-talent pipeline (cashier → head cashier → assistant manager) — develop with intent.Customer-service culture and front-end standards — set and sustain through example and coaching.
Also known as
121 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Cashier, Courtesy BoothHotel and Dining Room CashierCredit CashierStore Crew MemberConvenience Store ClerkToll Gate KeeperSales AssociateDay CashierCashier HostessCheck CashierCart AttendantSales CashierClerk CheckerCashier-WrapperStore ClerkToll Gate TenderGrocery Sales ClerkFinancial Management and Comptroller Journeyman (Air Force 6F051)Retail Operator (Navy 001727)Mutuel ClerkHotel Dining Room CashierTicket DispatcherShip Store Officer (Navy 1935)To Go SpecialistServices (Air Force 3F1X1)Turnstile CollectorCage CashierParimutuel-Ticket SellerGrocery ClerkGas Station CashierSnack Bar CashierStore AttendantBottle Booth AttendantCashier HostVisitor Service AssociateServices Craftsman (Air Force 3F171)Center Aisle CashierParimutuel-Ticket CashierServices Superintendent (Air Force 3F191)Tube Teller