Bank Teller vs Cashier Salary
Bank Tellers earn approximately 19.4% more than Cashiers nationally — $36,000 vs $29,000.
Bank Tellers earn approximately $7,000 more per year than Cashiers — about 24% — with comparable entry requirements.
Pay range, not just the median
The medians hide most of what matters. Bank Teller pay runs from roughly $29,000 at the low end to $52,000 at the high end; Cashier runs $22,000 to $40,000. Where you land inside that band depends far more on specialization, employer, and metro than on the job title.
Where each field is heading
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects Bank Teller employment to shrink 13% over the decade to 2034 — declining — against a decline of 10% for Cashier.
Growth rate is not the same thing as opportunity. Bank Teller roles see roughly 29,800 openings a year and Cashier roles about 542,600, counting replacements for people who retire or leave. Cashier has the larger raw number, which is usually what you feel when actually job hunting — a small field growing fast can still be harder to break into than a large flat one.
A declining projection is not a reason to rule out Bank Teller work — declining occupations still hire, and replacement demand often exceeds what the growth rate suggests. It does mean competition tightens over time and geographic flexibility matters more, so it belongs in the decision rather than being ignored.
Moving between the two
Crossing between Finance and Retail means rebuilding credentials and network from close to zero — the day-to-day skills do not carry, and neither does the résumé. Retail/cashier experience transfers directly in; the role is the classic feeder into loan officer, personal banker, and branch management, but branch consolidation and digital banking are shrinking the role fastest of any occupation on this list (BLS projects -13% through 2034). Transfers directly to other retail, food service, and customer-facing roles; commonly a first job with high turnover.
If you are entering rather than switching: Bank Teller — High school diploma, hired directly by a bank branch with a few weeks of paid training; typically the entry rung into retail banking. Cashier — Apply directly to retailers; most positions require no experience and train new hires on the job within days.
Pay ranges, education requirements, and employment projections come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. See our methodology for how these are compiled and updated.
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Bank Teller salary by state — Cashier salary by state — Best cities for Bank Teller — Best cities for Cashier — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.