Office & Administrative Support
Tellers
Also called: Account Representative, Bank Teller, Branch Operations Specialist, Customer Relationship Specialist
US median pay
$43,030
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-13.2%
declining
Openings a year (US)
26,800
339,200 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Receive and pay out money. Keep records of money and negotiable instruments involved in a financial institution's various transactions.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Monitor bank vaults to ensure cash balances are correct.
- Cash checks and pay out money after verifying that signatures are correct, that written and numerical amounts agree, and that accounts have sufficient funds.
- Count currency, coins, and checks received, by hand or using currency-counting machine, to prepare them for deposit or shipment to branch banks or the Federal Reserve Bank.
- Enter customers' transactions into computers to record transactions and issue computer-generated receipts.
- 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.
- Resolve problems or discrepancies concerning customers' accounts.
- Prepare and verify cashier's checks.
- Process transactions, such as term deposits, retirement savings plan contributions, automated teller transactions, night deposits, and mail deposits.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.1/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Instructing2.9/5
- Coordination2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.9/5
- Persuasion2.8/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- English Language3.6/5
- Mathematics3.5/5
- Economics and Accounting3.1/5
- Public Safety and Security3.0/5
- Administration and Management2.9/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma73%
Who this job suits
Mostly Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.