Counter and Rental Clerks: Career Overview
Receive orders, generally in person, for repairs, rentals, and services. May describe available options, compute cost, and accept payment.
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What Tasks Do Counter and Rental Clerks Take On?
The core tasks performed by counter and rental clerks include:
- Compute charges for merchandise or services and receive payments.
- Receive orders for services, such as rentals, repairs, dry cleaning, and storage.
- Explain rental fees, policies, and procedures.
- Provide information about rental items, such as availability, operation, or description.
- Advise customers on use and care of merchandise.
- Greet customers and discuss the type, quality, and quantity of merchandise sought for rental.
- Answer telephones to provide information and receive orders.
- Inspect and adjust rental items to meet needs of customer.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top counter and rental clerks combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Counter and Rental Clerks Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Airplane Charter Clerk
- Apartment Rental Clerk
- Apparel Rental Clerk
- Auto Rental Clerk
- Automobile Rental Clerk
- Automotive Customer Service Advisor (Auto Customer Service Advisor)
- Baby Stroller Rental Clerk
- Bicycle Rental Clerk
How Many Counter and Rental Clerks Are There?
The U.S. employs around 1,411,819 counter and rental clerks working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +5.4% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Counter and Rental Clerks
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $38,968 |
| Hourly median | $18.73 |
| 10th percentile | $25,277 |
| 25th percentile | $32,122 |
| 75th percentile | $45,814 |
| 90th percentile | $52,659 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Counter and Rental Clerks Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $49,130 |
| Washington | $47,420 |
| Vermont | $46,940 |
| New Hampshire | $45,540 |
| New Jersey | $45,260 |
| Colorado | $44,850 |
| New York | $44,630 |
| Hawaii | $44,250 |
| Wisconsin | $43,950 |
| Oregon | $42,730 |
| Massachusetts | $42,720 |
| Virginia | $42,250 |
| Montana | $42,220 |
| Minnesota | $42,220 |
| Alaska | $41,600 |
| Maine | $41,600 |
| California | $41,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,710 |
| Arizona | $40,360 |
| Rhode Island | $39,040 |
| Nevada | $38,720 |
| Michigan | $38,310 |
| Wyoming | $38,110 |
| Kansas | $38,060 |
| Delaware | $37,770 |
| North Carolina | $37,630 |
| Kentucky | $37,620 |
| Maryland | $37,500 |
| Florida | $37,460 |
| Idaho | $37,440 |
| North Dakota | $37,440 |
| Utah | $37,300 |
| Connecticut | $37,290 |
| Illinois | $36,830 |
| South Dakota | $36,800 |
| Ohio | $36,700 |
| South Carolina | $36,280 |
| Indiana | $36,050 |
| Iowa | $36,050 |
| Georgia | $35,990 |
| Missouri | $35,770 |
| Nebraska | $35,550 |
| New Mexico | $35,440 |
| Texas | $35,210 |
| Tennessee | $34,630 |
| Arkansas | $34,200 |
| Oklahoma | $32,880 |
| Mississippi | $31,420 |
| West Virginia | $31,070 |
| Louisiana | $31,050 |
| Alabama | $30,750 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,130 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,980 |
| Guam | $22,900 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for counter and rental clerks shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $43,194 | 11.2% | 0.76 |
| Rocky Mountains | $42,636 | 5.6% | 1.61 |
| Far Western US | $42,425 | 23.7% | 1.48 |
| New England | $41,565 | 3.4% | 0.73 |
| Great Lakes | $37,875 | 12.0% | 0.88 |
| Plains States | $37,579 | 4.9% | 0.83 |
| Southeast | $36,667 | 25.6% | 1.10 |
| Southwest | $35,824 | 13.1% | 1.04 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Counter and Rental Clerks
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $48,550 | 10,570 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | VT | $47,710 | 290 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $47,020 | 2,850 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $46,310 | 320 |
| Greeley, CO | CO | $46,080 | 490 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $45,880 | 670 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $45,710 | 380 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $45,670 | 4,320 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of counter and rental clerks are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 189,840 | $38,200 |
| Retail Trade | 79,360 | $43,470 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 52,250 | $36,570 |
| Wholesale Trade | 28,970 | $48,180 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 23,040 | $37,220 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 11,910 | $28,590 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 2,600 | $38,100 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 2,300 | $31,470 |
Below are examples of industries where counter and rental clerks work:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of counter and rental clerks is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Education and Training
Entry-level counter and rental clerks positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (Supplemental)
- Concierges (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers (Supplemental)
- Cashiers (Primary-Short)
- Parts Salespersons (Primary-Long)
- Retail Salespersons (Primary-Short)
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel (Primary-Short)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 41-2021.00 (Counter and Rental Clerks).
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