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What Does it Take to Be a Teller?
Job Description: Receive and pay out money. Keep records of money and negotiable instruments involved in a financial institution’s various transactions.
Life As a Teller: What Do They Do?
- Answer telephones and assist customers with their questions.
- Receive and count daily inventories of cash, drafts, and travelers’ checks.
- Cash checks and pay out money after verifying that signatures are correct, that written and numerical amounts agree, and that accounts have sufficient funds.
- Compose, type, and mail customer statements and other correspondence related to issues such as discrepancies and outstanding unpaid items.
- Receive mortgage, loan, or public utility bill payments, verifying payment dates and amounts due.
- Identify transaction mistakes when debits and credits do not balance.
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Teller Skills
When polled, Tellers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles
- Member Services Representative
- Customer Relationship Specialist
- Branch Operations Specialist
- Paying Teller
- Operations Specialist
Job Opportunities for Tellers
There were about 502,700 jobs for Teller in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Teller. The BLS estimates 51,500 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Teller are Utah, Arizona, and Texas. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Illinois, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Teller
The salary for Tellers ranges between about $22,250 and $39,110 a year.
Tellers who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.
How much do Tellers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $27,830 |
Alaska | $30,710 |
Arizona | $30,370 |
Arkansas | $25,640 |
California | $32,120 |
Colorado | $30,810 |
Connecticut | $33,360 |
Delaware | $30,670 |
District of Columbia | $35,790 |
Florida | $32,140 |
Georgia | $30,670 |
Hawaii | $32,050 |
Idaho | $28,660 |
Illinois | $29,860 |
Indiana | $27,900 |
Iowa | $28,480 |
Kansas | $28,150 |
Kentucky | $27,770 |
Louisiana | $27,850 |
Maine | $30,080 |
Maryland | $32,330 |
Massachusetts | $32,860 |
Michigan | $30,150 |
Minnesota | $30,270 |
Mississippi | $27,380 |
Missouri | $27,800 |
Montana | $28,760 |
Nebraska | $29,620 |
Nevada | $30,050 |
New Hampshire | $29,780 |
New Jersey | $32,950 |
New Mexico | $27,050 |
New York | $31,680 |
North Carolina | $32,100 |
North Dakota | $31,800 |
Ohio | $28,990 |
Oklahoma | $26,240 |
Oregon | $30,390 |
Pennsylvania | $29,360 |
Rhode Island | $31,520 |
South Carolina | $30,490 |
South Dakota | $27,230 |
Tennessee | $28,100 |
Texas | $28,710 |
Utah | $27,800 |
Vermont | $30,850 |
Virginia | $31,220 |
Washington | $34,240 |
West Virginia | $26,220 |
Wisconsin | $28,870 |
Wyoming | $28,810 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Tellers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Tellers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Dynamics
- IBM Notes
- Sage 50 Accounting
- Internet browser software
- Accounting software
- Hyland Software OnBase
How to Become a Teller
Are there Tellers education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become a Teller?
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Teller may also be interested in:
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Data Entry Keyers
- Brokerage Clerks
- Customer Service Representatives
Are you already one of the many Teller in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Dave Dugdale via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.