Tellers earn a median of $43,030 per year ($20.69/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 13.2% through 2035, with about 26,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-3071
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Teller in four numbers
- Median pay
- $43,030a year, or $20.69/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $34KTop 10% $50K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -13.2%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−13.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −13.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 26,800339,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025339.2K
- Projected 2035294.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 339.2K Projected 2035 294.5K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school1.7%
- High school73%
- Certificate2.7%
- Some college9%
- Associate's5.4%
- Bachelor's8.3%
Highest education held by tellers Segment Value Less than high school 1.7% High school 73% Certificate 2.7% Some college 9% Associate's 5.4% Bachelor's 8.3%
Also advertised as: Account Representative, Bank Teller, Branch Operations Specialist, Customer Relationship Specialist, Customer Service Associate (CSA), Financial Services Representative (FSR).
Pay
How much do tellers make?
Tellers earn a median of $43,030 a year ($20.69 an hour, or about $3,590 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $34,360 and the top 10% more than $49,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Washington, with a median of $47,670. See Teller salary in Washington and every other state. By city, pay is highest around Seattle ($53,440 average): salary in every city.
Every teller in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$43,030
Middle half earn $37,040 to $46,580
- 10th
- $34,360
- 25th
- $37,040
- 75th
- $46,580
- 90th
- $49,680
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $34,360 |
| 25th | $37,040 |
| Median | $43,030 |
| 75th | $46,580 |
| 90th | $49,680 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $43,030
- Median hourly wage
- $20.69/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $42,350
- People employed
- 329,480
Versus all US occupations
At $43,030, Tellers earn 16% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,950 a year.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 13% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $49,680 or more while the bottom 10% earn $34,360, a gap of 1.4×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 10% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($47,670), but once local prices are taken into account North Carolina leads at $47,527 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay tellers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $47,670 | $44,546 | 9,180 |
| 2New Jersey | $47,210 | $43,390 | 10,270 |
| 3California | $46,900 | $42,359 | 25,230 |
| 4Massachusetts | $46,900 | $44,347 | 7,190 |
| 5Alaska | $46,770 | $45,692 | 1,020 |
| 6Connecticut | $46,320 | $44,706 | 3,220 |
| 7Colorado | $46,060 | $44,696 | 5,370 |
| 8Maryland | $46,010 | $43,836 | 3,860 |
| 9District of Columbia | $45,590 | $41,483 | 700 |
| 10Florida | $45,580 | $44,075 | 14,700 |
Job outlook
Is teller a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -13.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Tellers | −13.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Tellers to change -13.2% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 44,700 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 26,800 openings are projected each year, 7.9% of the 339,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Historically, job growth for tellers was driven by the expansion of bank branches, where most tellers work. However, the number of bank branches has been in decline due to technological change. As more people use online banking tools, such as mobile check deposits, fewer bank customers will visit the teller window. This should result in decreased demand for tellers.
In addition, automation is expected to lead to fewer tellers per bank branch. For example, video kiosks that allow customers to interact with tellers through webcams at ATMs will allow tellers to service a greater number of customers from one location, reducing the number of tellers needed for each bank.
“Enhanced ATMs” are another form of automation technology. These machines are expected to perform an increasing range of customer service and clerical tasks currently done by tellers, such as issuing debit cards or detecting counterfeit currency. The use of these machines will improve teller productivity and allow workers to focus on only the most complex customer service tasks, which in turn is expected to lower demand for these workers.
AI exposure: high
BLS places this occupation in its high relative AI exposure category, above the middle of the pack: a substantial share of the work overlaps with what AI can do.
Getting in
How to become a teller
No licence, no certification and no degree: BLS records a high school diploma and training on the job. The gate people do not expect is federal and it is absolute. Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act bars anyone convicted of a criminal offence involving dishonesty, breach of trust or money laundering, or who entered a pretrial diversion programme in connection with such a prosecution, from participating in the affairs of an insured depository institution without the FDIC's prior written consent. Banks must make a reasonable, documented inquiry before you start, and you may not work there until they have determined you are not prohibited.
The credential path, step by step
- Finish high school
Tellers usually need a high school diploma or the equivalent. Some take college courses or hold a degree, but BLS records that this is not typically required to be hired.
- Expect the background check to be a real gate, not a formality
FDIC-supervised institutions may extend a conditional offer of employment contingent on a satisfactory background check, but the applicant may not work for, be employed by or otherwise participate in the affairs of the institution until the institution has determined that they are not prohibited under Section 19. The institution has its own obligation: it must not permit a prohibited person to engage in any conduct or continue any relationship barred by the section.
- Know precisely what Section 19 covers, because it is narrower than it sounds
A criminal offence involving dishonesty means one in which a person directly or indirectly cheats or defrauds, or wrongfully takes property belonging to another in violation of a criminal statute, or an offence that law defines as dishonest or for which dishonesty is an element. It expressly excludes offences involving possession of controlled substances, including simple possession and possession with intent to distribute, and excludes a misdemeanour committed more than one year before the consent application is filed. Breach of trust means a wrongful act, use, misappropriation or omission with respect to property or funds committed to a person in a fiduciary or official capacity.
- Check the exclusions before assuming you are barred
Section 19 does not apply if 7 or more years have passed since the offence occurred, or if the person was incarcerated and 5 or more years have passed since release. A conviction is not a conviction of record where an order of expungement, sealing or dismissal has been issued, or the conviction was expunged, sealed or dismissed by operation of law, and the intent is that the record be destroyed or sealed. Youthful offender and juvenile delinquency adjudications do not require an application. Acquittals and convictions reversed on appeal are not covered, but a conviction under appeal, and a conviction for which a pardon has been granted, both still require an application.
- Apply to the FDIC for consent if you are covered, then learn the job on the job
The application exists to let you show that, notwithstanding the prohibition, you are fit to participate in the affairs of an insured institution without posing a risk to its safety and soundness or impairing public confidence in it. The burden is on you to establish that the application warrants approval. Once hired, a head teller or another experienced teller trains you: balancing cash drawers, verifying signatures, the employer's software, and the products and services the bank or credit union offers.
- How long the training takes
No programme at all; training happens after hire
A high school diploma or equivalent is usually enough to be hired, and new tellers receive on-the-job training from a head teller or another experienced teller. The one thing that can lengthen the path is the Section 19 consent application, which is decided by the FDIC rather than the employer.
- Continuing education
Not required
None is required of tellers. Advancement is what adds obligations: BLS notes experienced tellers may become head tellers, move into supervisory or managerial positions, or move to other occupations such as loan officer, which carries its own registration or licensing and, if state licensed, an annual continuing education requirement.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
No state licenses tellers, and the rule that matters is identical in every state because it attaches to the institution's federal deposit insurance rather than to the occupation. Two adjacent points do vary. Section 19 covers institution-affiliated parties and others who participate in an insured institution's affairs, so its reach depends on the role rather than the job title; independent contractors are typically outside it unless they also influence or control the institution's management or affairs. And a teller who advances into originating residential mortgage loans steps into a completely different regime, either federal registration or state licensing through NMLS depending on the employer.
Who governs the credential
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Administers Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, decides consent applications from people with covered convictions or program entries, and sets the rules banks must follow when checking an applicant's history. It does not license tellers; it decides who may work at an insured institution at all.
Credential detail for tellers is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Tellers · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 12 CFR part 303 subpart L: Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act · checked August 23, 2026
- FDIC: Section 19 rule brochure · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
To enter the occupation, tellers typically need a high school diploma; they also may need to pass a background check. Once hired, they receive training on the job.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as tellers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)73%
- Some College Courses9%
- Bachelor's Degree8.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree5.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate2.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 73% |
| Some College Courses | 9% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 8.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 5.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 2.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a teller do?
Receive and pay out money. Keep records of money and negotiable instruments involved in a financial institution's various transactions.
Tellers process routine transactions, such as cashing checks and depositing money, at a bank or credit union.
Day-to-day tasks
- Balance currency, coin, and checks in cash drawers at ends of shifts and calculate daily transactions, using computers, calculators, or adding machines.
- Receive checks and cash for deposit, verify amounts, and check accuracy of deposit slips.
- Cash checks and pay out money after verifying that signatures are correct, that written and numerical amounts agree, and that accounts have sufficient funds.
- Enter customers' transactions into computers to record transactions and issue computer-generated receipts.
- Process transactions, such as term deposits, retirement savings plan contributions, automated teller transactions, night deposits, and mail deposits.
- Answer telephones and assist customers with their questions.
- Examine checks for endorsements and to verify other information, such as dates, bank names, identification of the persons receiving payments, and the legality of the documents.
- Prepare and verify cashier's checks.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most tellers work full time during regular business hours. Some work schedules that include evenings or weekends.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where tellers work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Credit intermediation and related activities96%
- Management of companies and enterprises1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Credit intermediation and related activities | 96% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 1% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.5
- Speaking3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Writing3.0
- Mathematics3.0
- Active Learning2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.5 |
| Speaking | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Time Management3.0
- Coordination2.9
- Instructing2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Persuasion2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Instructing | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Persuasion | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Document management software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
The workforce
Who works as a teller?
Women make up 76.6% of tellers, against 47.1% of all employed people: a female-dominated occupation.
Only 17.9% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce, with 26.8% under 25.
The median worker is 30.6 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 76.6%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 30.6All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 17.9%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 224,000BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of tellers | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 76.6% | 47.1% |
| White | 76.0% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 14.8% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 5.6% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 21.6% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 17.9% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 26.8% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a teller?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Teller |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 7 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional6.9
- Enterprising4.2
- Social2.4
- Realistic2.3
- Investigative1.4
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Teller
O*NET related occupations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Sales and Related
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk
$50,670median a year
Most earn $36K to $75K
−5.6%Some college - Office and Administrative Support
- Sales and Related
Security, Commodity, and Financial Services Sales Agent
$78,660median a year
Most earn $48K to $213K
+1.4%Bachelor's
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with tellers highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Customer Service Representative$44,770
- Teller$43,030
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Customer Service Representative | $44,770 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Teller appears on
Questions
Teller: frequently asked questions
How much do tellers make?
Tellers earn a median of $43,030 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 16% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $20.69/hr. The middle half earn between $37,040 and $46,580. The top 10% earn $49,680 or more.
How much do tellers make an hour?
The median hourly wage for tellers is $20.69 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $43,030 annual median works out to about $3,590 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a teller?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of tellers earn less than $34,360 a year and the bottom quarter less than $37,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Which states pay tellers the most?
The highest state medians for Tellers are Washington ($47,670), New Jersey ($47,210), California ($46,900) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Carolina moves to the top at $47,527.
What kind of teller earns the most?
BLS does not split tellers' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $49,680, against a median of $43,030 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Washington ($47,670), New Jersey ($47,210), California ($46,900).
Do you need a degree to become a teller?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Tellers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 73.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is teller a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 13.2% over 2025–2035, a loss of 44,700 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 26,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a teller do?
Tellers process routine transactions, such as cashing checks and depositing money, at a bank or credit union. A core O*NET task: balance currency, coin, and checks in cash drawers at ends of shifts and calculate daily transactions, using computers, calculators, or adding machines. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Do tellers work 40 hours a week?
Yes, for most. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 11% of tellers usually work more than 40 hours a week, 69% work exactly 40 and 20% work fewer. 92% say their schedule is regular and 8% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a teller?
O*NET scores Tellers highest on the Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.
How long does it take to become a teller?
No programme at all; training happens after hire. A high school diploma or equivalent is usually enough to be hired, and new tellers receive on-the-job training from a head teller or another experienced teller. The one thing that can lengthen the path is the Section 19 consent application, which is decided by the FDIC rather than the employer.
Do you need a license to work as a teller?
Not a state license. No state licenses tellers, and the rule that matters is identical in every state because it attaches to the institution's federal deposit insurance rather than to the occupation. Two adjacent points do vary. Section 19 covers institution-affiliated parties and others who participate in an insured institution's affairs, so its reach depends on the role rather than the job title; independent contractors are typically outside it unless they also influence or control the institution's management or affairs. And a teller who advances into originating residential mortgage loans steps into a completely different regime, either federal registration or state licensing through NMLS depending on the employer.
What percentage of tellers are women?
Women make up 76.6% of tellers, against 47.1% of all employed people: a female-dominated occupation. Only 17.9% are 55 or older (23.2% across all jobs): a young workforce, with 26.8% under 25. The median worker is 30.6 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages.