Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Understanding customer needs and providing helpful, professional service.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Teller Tellers must be friendly, helpful, and patient when interacting with bank customers. To enter the occupation, tellers typically need a high school diploma; they also may need to pass a background check. Once hired, they receive
Education
Tellers usually need a high school diploma or the equivalent. Some tellers take college courses or have a college degree, but this is not typically required for a job applicant to be hired. Training New tellers usually receive on-the-job training after they are hired. Normally, a head teller or another experienced teller trains them. During this training, tellers learn how to balance cash drawers and verify signatures. They also learn the computer software that their employer uses and the financial products and services the bank or credit union offers. Advancement Experienced tellers may advance to become head tellers or move to other supervisory or managerial positions. Some tellers advance to other occupations, such as loan officer. They can also move to sales positions.
Training
on the job.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of tellers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline. About 26,800 openings for tellers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. 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. Employment 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. Tellers Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Financial clerks -7% Tellers -13% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Tellers Do
Tellers process routine transactions, such as cashing checks and depositing money, at a bank or credit union.
Duties
Tellers typically do the following:
- Count the cash in their drawer at the start of their shift
- Accept checks, cash, and other forms of payment from customers
- Answer questions from customers about their accounts
- Prepare specialized types of funds, such as money orders, savings bonds, and traveler’s checks
- Exchange dollars for foreign currency
- Order bank cards and checks for customers
- Record all transactions electronically throughout their shift
- Count the cash in their drawer at the end of their shift and make sure the amounts balance
Tellers are responsible for the safe and accurate handling of the money they process. When cashing a check, they verify the customer’s identity and make sure that the account has enough money to cover the transaction. When counting cash, tellers must be careful not to make errors.
Tellers also may recommend the bank’s products or services, such as certificates of deposit (CDs) or loans, based on a customer’s interest or financial information. If the customer is interested in any products or services, tellers refer the customer to the appropriate personnel.
Head tellers manage teller operations. In addition to doing the same tasks as those done by other tellers, they have some managerial duties, such as setting work schedules or helping other tellers. Because of their experience, head tellers may deal with difficult problems, such as errors in customer accounts. Head tellers also go to the vault (where larger amounts of money are kept) and ensure that other tellers have enough cash to cover their shift.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Tellers held about 339,200 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of tellers were as follows:
| Credit intermediation and related activities | 96% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 1 |
The credit intermediation and related activities industry includes banks and credit unions, where tellers are primarily employed.
Work Schedules
Most tellers work full time during regular business hours. Some work schedules that include evenings or weekends.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Communication skills. Tellers must be able to understand customers’ needs and to explain product or service options available. Customer-service skills. Tellers spend their day interacting with bank customers. They must be friendly, helpful, and patient. Detail oriented. Tellers must be careful to avoid making errors when dealing with money. Integrity. Tellers have access to customers’ financial information, which they must keep confidential. They also must follow procedures to help safeguard financial assets and accounts. Interpersonal skills. Tellers should be able to create positive interactions with customers. Math skills. Because they count and handle large amounts of money, tellers must be good at arithmetic.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about tellers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.