Highest-Paying Cashier Jobs in 2026
Research Summary. The Zippia data team has leveraged a combination of publicly available government data, company reports, and insights from thousands of job postings to generate average salary estimates for cashier positions across the United States. Our findings reveal the highest-paying cashier roles based on their average annual salaries.
Here’s a summary of our findings on the highest-paying types of cashiers:
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Check Cashier ranks as the highest-paid cashier, with an average salary of $32,415 and an hourly rate of approximately $15.58.
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The second highest-paying cashier position is fast food cashier, earning an average salary of $31,913.
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The overall average cashier salary is $28,144 annually, translating to an hourly rate of around $13.53.
Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Choosing a career path can be challenging. While salary is a significant consideration, it shouldn’t be the sole factor in your decision-making process. If you’re interested in a cashier position, it’s beneficial to understand which roles offer the highest pay to effectively plan your career progression.
Below are the top salaries for various cashier roles:
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Check Cashier
Average Salary: $32,415
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Fast Food Cashier
Average Salary: $31,913
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Head Cashier
Average Salary: $31,143
Head cashiers play a critical role in ensuring smooth customer transactions. They assist colleagues with cashier operations, address customer inquiries, manage complaints, generate daily reports, monitor inventory, and maintain cleanliness in the register area while providing top-notch customer service.
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Service Counter Cashier
Average Salary: $29,932
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Cashier/Merchandiser
Average Salary: $29,768
Below is a comprehensive table showcasing the average pay for various cashier roles.
Highest-Paying Types Of Cashiers
| Rank | Job Title | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check Cashier | |
| 2 | Fast Food Cashier | |
| 3 | Head Cashier | |
| 4 | Service Counter Cashier | |
| 5 | Cashier/Merchandiser | |
| 6 | Seasonal Cashier | |
| 7 | Cashier Associate | |
| 8 | Retail Cashier | |
| 9 | Cage Cashier | |
| 10 | Service Cashier | |
| 11 | Food Service/Cashier | |
| 12 | Box Office Cashier | |
| 13 | Customer Service Associate/Cashier | |
| 14 | Pharmacist Cashier/Technician | |
| 15 | Concession Cashier | |
| 16 | Sales Associate And Cashier | |
| 17 | Retail Sales Associate/Cashier | |
| 18 | Front End Cashier | |
| 19 | Center Aisle Cashier | |
| 20 | Cashier/Host |
Methodology
Zippia employs publicly accessible information from reliable sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to formulate its salary estimates.
The data science team also reviews job postings and company resources for the latest salary information relevant to cashiers.
After compiling the data, a weighted average is calculated for each job title to estimate salaries accurately. For more details on our salary estimation process, refer to our detailed methodology.
Highest-Paying Types Of Cashier Jobs FAQs
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What is the highest-paid cashier job?
The highest-paid cashier job is a check cashier. Check cashiers earn an average salary of $32,415, which breaks down to an hourly wage of $15.58.
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What is a good salary for a cashier?
A good salary for a cashier is $28,144 or more. This is the average salary for cashiers, so those earning at least this amount are receiving above-average compensation. However, cashier salaries can vary significantly based on location, as companies adjust their pay scales to reflect the cost of living. Researching local salary averages for your experience and skill level can provide a clearer picture of your compensation.
For entry-level cashiers, the average starting salary is around $24,757, so it’s important not to judge your salary against the average figure, which includes cashiers at all experience levels.
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Do cashier jobs pay well?
No, cashier jobs typically do not pay well. While some cashier roles may offer better compensation than others, the average cashier salary of $28,144 is below the average national salary, which is around $44,225 per year.
However, many cashier positions have the potential for higher earnings, with the top 10% making an average of $39,902 annually. Pay can vary based on experience, industry, and location, so it’s beneficial to research the going rates in your area and negotiate your salary accordingly.
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Where do cashiers get paid the most?
Cashiers earn the highest salaries in Maine. In Maine, cashiers average an annual salary of $32,244, with an hourly wage of $15.50.
Following Maine, the states with the highest-paying cashier roles are New Hampshire, New York, and Connecticut, offering average salaries of $30,903, $32,979, and $32,276 respectively.
Notably, the cities with the highest cashier salaries include:
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Washington, DC – $34,476
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New York, NY – $32,926
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San Francisco, CA – $32,679
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Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
