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Teller: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$43,030median pay per year, or $20.69 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $34,360lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,04025th percentile
  3. $43,030median
  4. $46,58075th percentile
  5. $49,680top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Tellers earned a median of $43,030 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall 13.2% from 2025 to 2035[2], so the job calls for a clear look at the outlook.

Job growth, 2025–35
-13.2%[2]
Openings per year
26,800[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do tellers make?

The median pay for a teller was $43,030 a year, or $20.69 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of tellers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $42,350 a year, or $20.36 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4]. So the teller median sits below that reference.

Here is how the annual pay spreads out[3]:

Point in the range Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][8] $34,360 $16.52
25th percentile[3][8] $37,040 $17.81
Median[1] $43,030 $20.69
75th percentile[3][8] $46,580 $22.39
90th percentile[3][8] $49,680 $23.88

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of tellers earned less than $34,360[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 329,480 people worked as tellers in wage and salary jobs[11].

Pay by state and city

Washington had the highest median teller pay among states at $47,670[12]. New Jersey came next at $47,210, then California and Massachusetts, both at $46,900[12]. West Virginia was last in the list at $34,560[12].

Texas had the most teller jobs with 25,860, followed by California with 25,230 and Illinois with 16,960[13].

Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $50,090, then Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $49,880 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $49,370[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 15,820, with a median of $47,230[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Washington[12]$47,6709,180
New Jersey$47,21010,270
California$46,90025,230
Massachusetts$46,9007,190
Alaska$46,7701,020
Connecticut$46,3203,220
Colorado$46,0605,370
Maryland$46,0103,860
District of Columbia$45,590700
Florida$45,58014,700
Delaware$45,3401,400
Rhode Island$45,300830
Arizona$45,2503,770
Virginia$45,1207,410
Nevada$44,9801,850
North Carolina$44,8305,260
New Hampshire$44,4601,550
Oregon$44,4402,990
New York$44,40015,040
Minnesota$44,1905,740
Vermont$44,030930
Hawaii$43,9101,760
Maine$42,8902,410
Idaho$42,3802,690
South Carolina$42,2804,400
Georgia$41,6907,820
Pennsylvania$40,20014,800
Ohio$39,81013,890
Wisconsin$39,6409,030
North Dakota$39,3001,990
Michigan$39,24013,420
Indiana$38,7308,400
Illinois$38,67016,960
South Dakota$38,4601,560
Iowa$38,4505,470
Utah$38,3704,790
Wyoming$38,290970
Nebraska$38,1404,590
Montana$38,0801,660
Texas$38,05025,860
New Mexico$37,6802,330
Alabama$37,3506,770
Kentucky$37,2105,350
Kansas$36,8404,720
Mississippi$36,8103,750
Tennessee$36,7507,560
Missouri$36,65010,030
Oklahoma$35,8407,230
Arkansas$35,7104,250
Louisiana$35,6804,900
West Virginia$34,5602,620

How to become a teller

The path into this job is short[6]:

Some tellers take college courses or hold a degree, but employers do not typically require it[16]. In an O*NET survey of 25 workers, 73% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required[19]. During training, tellers learn to balance cash drawers, verify signatures, use their employer's software and learn the bank's products and services[18].

Experienced tellers may move up to head teller or other supervisory roles. Some move to jobs such as loan officer or to sales[20].

What tellers do

Tellers receive and pay out money and keep records of the transactions[21]. Common tasks include[22]:

BLS lists several qualities that matter in the job: customer-service skills, attention to detail, integrity, communication and math skills[23][24][25][26][27]. Tellers also handle customers' financial information, which they must keep confidential[26].

Where tellers work

Tellers work mainly in banks and credit unions[28]. In 2025, credit intermediation and related activities employed 96% of them[29]. Most tellers are full time and work normal business hours. Some have schedules that include evenings or weekends[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects teller employment to decline 13.2% from 2025 to 2035[2]. That is a drop from about 339,200 to 294,500 jobs, or 44,700 fewer[2]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[31].

Even so, about 26,800 openings are projected each year, on average[5]. Openings include jobs that come open when workers retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 4.6% of tellers leave the labor force and 5.3% move to a different occupation[32].

The 329,480 wage and salary jobs counted in pay data[11] and the 339,200 jobs in the projections[2] are different measures. The projection count includes self-employed workers[2].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a job that is easy to enter. It asks for a high school diploma, no related experience and short-term training on the job[6]. Pay is a little below the all-occupations median[1][4], and pay is higher in states such as Washington and New Jersey[12]. The main caution is the outlook, since employment is projected to shrink 13.2% while all occupations grow 3.5%[2][31]. Openings still arise each year from people who leave or switch jobs[5][32]. Tellers can also move up to head teller or other roles[20].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a teller make an hour?
The median was $20.69 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $16.52, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $23.88[8].
What education do you need to be a teller?
A high school diploma or equivalent is the usual requirement, with no related work experience typical[6][16].
How long does it take to become a teller?
New tellers usually get on-the-job training after they are hired[18], described as short-term[6]. The facts give no exact length.
Are tellers in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 13.2% from 2025 to 2035[2]. About 26,800 openings a year are still projected, including jobs left by workers who retire or move on[5].
What is the highest paying state for tellers?
Washington, with a median of $47,670 a year[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Tellers in the US was $43,030 per year and $20.69 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Tellers is projected to decline 13.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 339,200 to 294,500 jobs (a change of -44,700). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Tellers: 10th percentile $34,360, 25th percentile $37,040, 75th percentile $46,580, 90th percentile $49,680. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 26,800 openings for Tellers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Tellers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Tellers was $42,350 per year and $20.36 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Tellers: 10th percentile $16.52, 25th percentile $17.81, 75th percentile $22.39, 90th percentile $23.88. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 329,480 people were employed as Tellers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Tellers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Tellers jobs: Texas 25,860; California 25,230; Illinois 16,960; New York 15,040; Pennsylvania 14,800. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Tellers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $50,090; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $49,880; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $49,370; Napa, CA $49,260; Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $48,700; Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $48,310; Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $48,060; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $47,690. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Tellers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 15,820 (median $47,230); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 9,930 (median $44,540); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 8,790 (median $46,350); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 6,010 (median $39,270); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,010 (median $45,130); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 5,760 (median $45,090). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. O*NET 43-3071.00 survey of workers (25 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 73%, Some College Courses 9%, Bachelor's Degree 8%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET description of Tellers. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET task list for Tellers. O*NET OnLine
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of tellers in 2025: Credit intermediation and related activities 96%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Tellers: 4.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  33. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.