Jetted FoxCareers · Stores & retail
Cashiers
Ring up purchases, take payment and handle returns at a store, restaurant or gas station. No college degree needed.
Start now · nothing needed
Starting pay ranges from about $10.36/hr in Mississippi to $18.11/hr in Washington, DC.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $10.24–10.91/hr | $13.58/hr |
| Alaska | $14.80–16.51/hr | $17.37/hr |
| Arizona | $14.92–15.19/hr | $16.64/hr |
| Arkansas | $11.21–11.52/hr | $13.30/hr |
| California | $16.71–17.21/hr | $17.84/hr |
| Colorado | $15.14–16.71/hr | $17.72/hr |
| Connecticut | $16.35–16.65/hr | $17.09/hr |
| Delaware | $15/hr | $16.10/hr |
| Florida | $13.31–13.77/hr | $14.68/hr |
| Georgia | $10.74–12.57/hr | $13.98/hr |
| Hawaii | $14.57–16.17/hr | $17.68/hr |
| Idaho | $10.77–13.47/hr | $14.60/hr |
| Illinois | $15/hr | $16.58/hr |
| Indiana | $10.88–13.19/hr | $14.26/hr |
| Iowa | $11.03–13.25/hr | $13.93/hr |
| Kansas | $10.80–12.82/hr | $13.85/hr |
| Kentucky | $10.44–11.58/hr | $13.75/hr |
| Louisiana | $9.28–10.64/hr | $12.86/hr |
| Maine | $14.79–15.14/hr | $16.79/hr |
| Maryland | $15–15.18/hr | $16.54/hr |
| Massachusetts | $15.47–16.38/hr | $17.08/hr |
| Michigan | $12.82–13.50/hr | $14.30/hr |
| Minnesota | $13.40–14.31/hr | $16.65/hr |
| Mississippi | $9.73–10.36/hr | $12.69/hr |
| Missouri | $13.75–13.93/hr | $14.67/hr |
| Montana | $11.49–13.71/hr | $16.44/hr |
| Nebraska | $13.50–14.01/hr | $14.54/hr |
| Nevada | $12.46–13.20/hr | $14.36/hr |
| New Hampshire | $13.16–14.45/hr | $16.27/hr |
| New Jersey | $15.49–15.69/hr | $16.63/hr |
| New Mexico | $13.20–13.76/hr | $14.48/hr |
| New York | $15.67–16.48/hr | $17.07/hr |
| North Carolina | $10.80–12.68/hr | $13.89/hr |
| North Dakota | $13.40–14.25/hr | $15.12/hr |
| Ohio | $11.35–12.95/hr | $14.07/hr |
| Oklahoma | $10.45–11.43/hr | $13.55/hr |
| Oregon | $14.85–15.93/hr | $16.97/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $10.71–12.66/hr | $14.05/hr |
| Rhode Island | $15–15.13/hr | $16.76/hr |
| South Carolina | $10.45–11.60/hr | $13.71/hr |
| South Dakota | $13.13–13.55/hr | $14.32/hr |
| Tennessee | $10.29–11.36/hr | $13.74/hr |
| Texas | $10.62–12.42/hr | $14.06/hr |
| Utah | $11.31–13.69/hr | $15.19/hr |
| Vermont | $14.71–15.15/hr | $17.17/hr |
| Virginia | $13–13.68/hr | $14.70/hr |
| Washington | $17.10–17.54/hr | $18.62/hr |
| Washington, DC | $17.50–18.11/hr | $18.69/hr |
| West Virginia | $10.27–10.68/hr | $12.68/hr |
| Wisconsin | $11.25–13.76/hr | $14.85/hr |
| Wyoming | $11.93–13.70/hr | $14.81/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
A normal day
You stand at a register scanning items, taking cash and cards and bagging orders. You answer questions, handle coupons and returns, and call a manager for problems. Slow times mean cleaning, restocking and straightening shelves.
The good parts
Easy to get hired, often at 16. Builds customer service and money-handling experience. Part-time shifts fit around school.
The hard parts
Low pay and few benefits at many stores. Hours in one spot doing the same motions. Rude customers, plus nights, weekends and holidays.
Where it leads
Retail store supervisor (after 1–2 years). cashier work itself does not advance, but it leads to shift lead, customer service desk and store management.
Quick answers
Do cashiers need a college degree?
No. You can start now: nothing needed.
How long is the training for cashiers?
A few days to 2 weeks.
How much do cashiers make?
About $11.79–13.81 an hour to start and $15.81 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
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Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.