Counter and Rental Clerks
Counter and Rental Clerks (SOC 41-2021) earn a median $41,300 a year ($19.86 an hour) in the United States, with 400,810 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What counter and rental clerks do
Counter and rental clerks take orders, usually face to face, for repairs, rentals, and services. They may describe the options, work out the cost, and take payment. O*NET lists tasks such as accepting orders for rentals, repairs, dry cleaning, and storage, explaining rental fees, policies, and procedures, and giving information on the availability, operation, or description of rental items. They greet customers and talk through the kind, quality, and amount of merchandise wanted, advise on use and care, and inspect and adjust rental items to fit the customer's needs. They answer phones to give information and take orders, and they figure charges and accept payments. Auto rental clerk, apartment rental clerk, and apparel rental clerk are among the titles. Counter workers in fast food, hotel desk clerks, order clerks, and reservation and ticket agents are excluded and have their own codes.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 56 percent).
Also called: Airplane Charter Clerk, Apartment Rental Clerk, Apparel Rental Clerk, Auto Rental Clerk, Automobile Rental Clerk.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.33 | $17.13 | $19.86 | $24.13 | $31.43 | $21.97 | 400,810 |
| Annual | $29,800 | $35,630 | $41,300 | $50,190 | $65,370 | $45,700 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where counter and rental clerks earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $21.71 | $24.02 | $25.85 | $27.55 | $30.05 | $26.04 | 480 | 0.68 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $45,160 | $49,970 | $53,760 | $57,310 | $62,500 | $54,160 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $17.09 | $18.87 | $23.51 | $28.37 | $36.31 | $25.01 | 9,540 | 2.23 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $35,540 | $39,240 | $48,900 | $59,020 | $75,520 | $52,020 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $17.79 | $18.96 | $23.29 | $28.09 | $36.63 | $24.97 | 750 | 2.48 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $37,000 | $39,430 | $48,430 | $58,440 | $76,180 | $51,950 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.11 | $20.34 | $22.99 | $28.18 | $35.56 | $24.99 | 14,600 | 4.11 | 1.59 |
| Annual | $37,670 | $42,300 | $47,820 | $58,610 | $73,970 | $51,980 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $15.99 | $18.56 | $22.72 | $30.00 | $37.34 | $25.34 | 1,590 | 2.32 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $33,270 | $38,590 | $47,250 | $62,400 | $77,660 | $52,700 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.21 | $18.09 | $21.64 | $25.79 | $33.56 | $23.72 | 67,770 | 3.72 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $35,790 | $37,630 | $45,010 | $53,640 | $69,800 | $49,330 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.19 | $15.00 | $17.91 | $22.03 | $29.04 | $19.97 | 36,600 | 2.60 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $27,430 | $31,200 | $37,250 | $45,810 | $60,390 | $41,540 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.83 | $15.09 | $18.21 | $22.42 | $29.24 | $20.46 | 27,160 | 2.74 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $28,770 | $31,390 | $37,870 | $46,640 | $60,810 | $42,570 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.92 | $18.74 | $22.25 | $27.95 | $35.35 | $24.51 | 18,320 | 1.89 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $35,190 | $38,980 | $46,270 | $58,130 | $73,530 | $50,990 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $13.03 | $15.23 | $18.38 | $22.87 | $30.80 | $20.65 | 17,580 | 3.56 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $27,110 | $31,670 | $38,230 | $47,570 | $64,070 | $42,950 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $19.25 | $21.49 | $23.73 | $28.87 | $37.18 | $25.88 | 9,140 | 4.38 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $40,040 | $44,710 | $49,350 | $60,050 | $77,330 | $53,820 | ||||
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | Hourly | $17.79 | $19.23 | $23.38 | $28.57 | $36.38 | $24.99 | 330 | 2.75 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $37,010 | $40,000 | $48,630 | $59,420 | $75,660 | $51,980 | ||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $15.92 | $18.66 | $23.37 | $26.96 | $34.81 | $24.14 | 350 | 1.44 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $33,120 | $38,820 | $48,600 | $56,070 | $72,390 | $50,220 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $19.72 | $21.56 | $23.35 | $28.08 | $37.56 | $26.94 | 2,880 | 2.53 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $41,010 | $44,850 | $48,570 | $58,410 | $78,130 | $56,030 | ||||
| Portland-South Portland, ME | Hourly | $17.56 | $18.34 | $23.12 | $27.02 | $30.79 | $23.68 | 510 | 1.76 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $36,510 | $38,150 | $48,090 | $56,190 | $64,040 | $49,250 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.09 | $17.95 | $21.37 | $24.60 | $31.34 | $23.22 | 26,870 | 4.28 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $35,540 | $37,340 | $44,460 | $51,160 | $65,190 | $48,300 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.57 | $19.11 | $23.10 | $28.66 | $36.09 | $25.62 | 16,880 | 1.78 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $36,540 | $39,740 | $48,040 | $59,620 | $75,070 | $53,280 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $13.82 | $16.09 | $18.32 | $22.81 | $29.45 | $20.80 | 10,860 | 2.68 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $28,750 | $33,460 | $38,110 | $47,440 | $61,250 | $43,270 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $19.25 | $21.49 | $23.73 | $28.87 | $37.18 | $25.88 | 9,140 | 4.38 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $40,040 | $44,710 | $49,350 | $60,050 | $77,330 | $53,820 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $17.69 | $18.55 | $21.52 | $27.68 | $35.88 | $25.37 | 8,100 | 3.41 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $36,790 | $38,580 | $44,760 | $57,580 | $74,630 | $52,760 | ||||
Top industries employing counter and rental clerks
Real Estate employ 23.2% of counter and rental clerks nationally (93,130 jobs) at a median $42,880 a year ($20.62 an hour), followed by Automobile Dealers (14.4%) and Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (14.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate NAICS 531000 | 93,130 | 23.2% | $42,880 | $20.62 |
| Automobile Dealers NAICS 441100 | 57,750 | 14.4% | $48,610 | $23.37 |
| Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing NAICS 532100 | 57,010 | 14.2% | $38,090 | $18.31 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) NAICS 5320A1 | 28,690 | 7.2% | $42,900 | $20.62 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811100 | 28,090 | 7.0% | $50,910 | $24.47 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (400,810). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $31,330 for counter and rental clerks in May 2021 and $41,300 in May 2025, with employment of 371,620 and 400,810.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $31,330 | $15.06 | 371,620 |
| May 2022 | $35,830 | $17.23 | 370,770 |
| May 2023 | $37,400 | $17.98 | 390,300 |
| May 2024 | $38,540 | $18.53 | 398,620 |
| May 2025 | $41,300 | $19.86 | 400,810 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $25.85 | $53,760 | $45,160 | $62,500 | 480 | 0.68 | 0.26 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $23.51 | $48,900 | $35,540 | $75,520 | 9,540 | 2.23 | 0.86 |
| 3 | Vermont profile | $23.29 | $48,430 | $37,000 | $76,180 | 750 | 2.48 | 0.96 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $22.99 | $47,820 | $37,670 | $73,970 | 14,600 | 4.11 | 1.59 |
| 5 | New Hampshire profile | $22.72 | $47,250 | $33,270 | $77,660 | 1,590 | 2.32 | 0.90 |
| 6 | Maine profile | $22.53 | $46,870 | $34,820 | $60,610 | 1,180 | 1.83 | 0.71 |
| 7 | Rhode Island profile | $22.29 | $46,360 | $35,270 | $64,900 | 840 | 1.68 | 0.65 |
| 8 | New York profile | $22.25 | $46,270 | $35,190 | $73,530 | 18,320 | 1.89 | 0.73 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $22.23 | $46,240 | $35,290 | $75,300 | 13,900 | 4.84 | 1.88 |
| 10 | Wisconsin profile | $21.98 | $45,720 | $30,900 | $73,470 | 6,600 | 2.24 | 0.87 |
| 11 | Virginia profile | $21.89 | $45,540 | $31,340 | $74,890 | 12,910 | 3.14 | 1.22 |
| 12 | California profile | $21.64 | $45,010 | $35,790 | $69,800 | 67,770 | 3.72 | 1.44 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | $21.56 | $44,850 | $30,630 | $67,050 | 4,710 | 1.60 | 0.62 |
| 14 | North Dakota profile | $21.45 | $44,620 | $28,690 | $73,680 | 1,460 | 3.40 | 1.32 |
| 15 | Hawaii profile | $21.36 | $44,420 | $34,490 | $62,410 | 1,700 | 2.71 | 1.05 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $21.19 | $44,070 | $35,220 | $64,410 | 8,220 | 2.26 | 0.88 |
| 17 | Arizona profile | $21.12 | $43,920 | $35,980 | $72,690 | 11,080 | 3.42 | 1.33 |
| 18 | Montana profile | $21.11 | $43,900 | $33,520 | $60,310 | 1,490 | 2.91 | 1.13 |
| 19 | Wyoming profile | $21.09 | $43,860 | $30,050 | $61,640 | 900 | 3.20 | 1.24 |
| 20 | Oregon profile | $21.07 | $43,820 | $34,860 | $78,070 | 5,450 | 2.77 | 1.07 |
| 21 | Alaska profile | $20.89 | $43,450 | $35,490 | $62,400 | 660 | 2.02 | 0.78 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania profile | $20.63 | $42,910 | $26,520 | $61,760 | 10,780 | 1.78 | 0.69 |
| 23 | Connecticut profile | $18.99 | $39,490 | $35,120 | $65,950 | 3,060 | 1.81 | 0.70 |
| 24 | Maryland profile | $18.99 | $39,490 | $33,080 | $71,730 | 4,060 | 1.47 | 0.57 |
| 25 | Idaho profile | $18.93 | $39,370 | $28,010 | $68,100 | 2,070 | 2.42 | 0.94 |
| 26 | Michigan profile | $18.92 | $39,350 | $30,020 | $61,740 | 13,410 | 3.05 | 1.18 |
| 27 | Nevada profile | $18.82 | $39,140 | $30,100 | $57,910 | 2,460 | 1.58 | 0.61 |
| 28 | Kansas profile | $18.80 | $39,090 | $28,280 | $78,380 | 2,990 | 2.08 | 0.81 |
| 29 | Kentucky profile | $18.75 | $38,990 | $27,040 | $61,200 | 2,960 | 1.48 | 0.57 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | $18.73 | $38,960 | $31,820 | $58,490 | 1,900 | 1.22 | 0.47 |
| 31 | Delaware profile | $18.56 | $38,600 | $31,200 | $59,350 | 870 | 1.80 | 0.70 |
| 32 | Georgia profile | $18.56 | $38,590 | $28,650 | $62,400 | 11,490 | 2.35 | 0.91 |
| 33 | Ohio profile | $18.56 | $38,590 | $24,140 | $75,970 | 9,400 | 1.69 | 0.66 |
| 34 | North Carolina profile | $18.38 | $38,230 | $27,110 | $64,070 | 17,580 | 3.56 | 1.38 |
| 35 | Illinois profile | $18.34 | $38,140 | $31,870 | $63,500 | 8,440 | 1.38 | 0.54 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | $18.25 | $37,960 | $28,110 | $57,760 | 7,640 | 2.33 | 0.90 |
| 37 | Missouri profile | $18.23 | $37,920 | $29,580 | $63,540 | 4,880 | 1.66 | 0.64 |
| 38 | Florida profile | $18.21 | $37,870 | $28,770 | $60,810 | 27,160 | 2.74 | 1.06 |
| 39 | Utah profile | $18.05 | $37,550 | $24,290 | $61,840 | 3,280 | 1.89 | 0.73 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $17.95 | $37,340 | $25,730 | $54,460 | 6,280 | 2.72 | 1.06 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $17.91 | $37,250 | $27,430 | $60,390 | 36,600 | 2.60 | 1.01 |
| 42 | Oklahoma profile | $17.87 | $37,160 | $23,800 | $61,880 | 3,920 | 2.29 | 0.89 |
| 43 | Indiana profile | $17.64 | $36,680 | $24,620 | $55,950 | 7,990 | 2.50 | 0.97 |
| 44 | Nebraska profile | $17.53 | $36,450 | $28,080 | $50,690 | 3,960 | 3.87 | 1.50 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $17.50 | $36,400 | $26,190 | $48,850 | 690 | 1.51 | 0.58 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | $17.39 | $36,160 | $23,560 | $56,400 | 2,820 | 2.43 | 0.94 |
| 47 | New Mexico profile | $17.11 | $35,580 | $27,940 | $57,030 | 2,360 | 2.71 | 1.05 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $16.91 | $35,170 | $23,590 | $48,750 | 8,010 | 3.79 | 1.47 |
| 49 | Arkansas profile | $16.80 | $34,940 | $26,470 | $59,700 | 3,560 | 2.73 | 1.06 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $16.78 | $34,910 | $22,020 | $52,610 | 3,740 | 1.94 | 0.75 |
| 51 | West Virginia profile | $16.72 | $34,780 | $22,580 | $48,140 | 2,300 | 3.28 | 1.27 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (41-2020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Sales and Related Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 41-2021 Counter and Rental Clerks.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 41-2021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 41-2021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.