Find Trade Colleges
Counter and Rental Clerks: Job Description
Receive orders, generally in person, for repairs, rentals, and services. May describe available options, compute cost, and accept payment.
What Do Counter and Rental Clerks Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of 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.
What Counter and Rental Clerks Need to Know
Successful counter and rental clerks combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top 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
Job Outlook
There are roughly 1,411,819 counter and rental clerks working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +5.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Counter and Rental Clerks Make?
| 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 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay 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 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for counter and rental clerks shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| 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 |
Top Industries Employing Counter and Rental Clerks
The bulk of counter and rental clerks are found across these industries:
| 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 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Counter and Rental Clerks Use
- 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)
The Day-to-Day Environment
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.
Similar Occupations
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)
About the Data
Data on this page comes 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).
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.