Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Tellers work in a role that combines customer interaction, accuracy, and basic financial handling. The occupation employs 347,000 people nationally, indicating a sizable workforce. However, projected employment growth is -12.9%, so overall positions are expected to decline. Even with this decline, there are still 30,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing hiring needs due to turnover and other changes. This career can appeal to people who enjoy customer service, working with numbers, and handling detailed tasks. The role leans heavily on skills such as customer service, mathematics, attention to detail, interpersonal communication, and problem solving. People interested in starting their careers with a high school education may find this path accessible, as the typical education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent. For those considering alternatives, similar occupations include new accounts clerks, various clerical roles, and positions in tax and revenue collection.
Tellers earn a national median annual salary of $39,340. This provides a clear benchmark for what many workers in this occupation can expect around the midpoint of the pay scale. In practice, actual earnings vary by state and metro area. For example, some states highlighted for this occupation show higher median salaries, such as Washington at $47,670 and California and Massachusetts at $46,900. At the metro level, median pay can be even higher in certain areas, with San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $50,090 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $49,370. These variations suggest that location choices can significantly influence earning potential in this field. Job seekers can use these differences to compare potential compensation when evaluating where to live and work as a teller.
Nationally, there are 347,000 teller jobs, indicating a large existing employment base. However, projected employment growth for this occupation is -12.9%, meaning the total number of positions is expected to decline over time. Despite this negative growth projection, there are still 30,000 annual openings. These openings reflect the fact that employers will continue to hire to replace workers who move to other jobs, retire, or leave the workforce. People considering this career should weigh the combination of a substantial current workforce and ongoing openings against the overall downward employment trend. The consistent presence of openings suggests there will continue to be opportunities, but job seekers may need to be strategic about location, employer choices, and how they present their skills. Those exploring alternatives can also look at related paths such as new accounts clerks or other clerical and revenue-focused roles.
Location can make a meaningful difference for tellers in terms of salary and opportunity score. Among states, California and Massachusetts both show median salaries of $46,900, while Washington stands out with a median of $47,670. New York offers $44,400, and Colorado $46,060. All of these top states share the same projected growth rate of -12.9%, but their CareerGPS opportunity scores range from 56.29 in Washington to 67.38 in California, with Massachusetts and New York also in the mid-60s. At the metro level, differences become even clearer. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has a median salary of $50,090 and an opportunity score of 77.42, the highest among listed metros. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro follows closely with an opportunity score of 77.27 and median pay of $47,230. Other strong metros include San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, each combining mid-to-upper $40,000s median pay with solid opportunity scores.
The typical education requirement for tellers is a high school diploma or equivalent, making this career accessible to people who have completed secondary school but may not have a college degree. Because formal education requirements are relatively modest, skills become especially important in standing out and performing well. Core skills for this occupation include customer service, mathematics, and being detail oriented. Strong interpersonal abilities, speaking and listening skills, and adaptability support frequent interaction with customers and coworkers. Fine motor skills and comfort with computers and information technology are also important for handling transactions and related tasks accurately. Reading and writing capabilities, along with problem solving and decision making, round out the skill set and help with following procedures and resolving routine issues. Individuals who build and demonstrate these skills can be competitive candidates for teller roles and may be better positioned to pursue related clerical or financial-support occupations over time.
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