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
- Compute financial fees, interest, and service charges.
- Identify transaction mistakes when debits and credits do not balance.
- Answer telephones and assist customers with their questions.
- Balance currency, coin, and checks in cash drawers at ends of shifts and calculate daily transactions, using computers, calculators, or adding machines.
- Order a supply of cash to meet daily needs.
- Receive checks and cash for deposit, verify amounts, and check accuracy of deposit slips.
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Teller Skills
These are the skills Tellers say are the most useful in their careers:
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
- Paying Teller
- Receiving Teller
- Note Teller
- Personal Banking Representative
- Coupon Clerk
Job Demand for Tellers
In the United States, there were 502,700 jobs for Teller in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Teller. There will be an estimated 51,500 positions for Teller per year.

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.
Teller Average Salary
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 |
What Tools & Technology do Tellers Use?
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
What education is needed to be a Teller?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Tellers Work

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Teller might also be interested in the following careers:
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Data Entry Keyers
- Brokerage Clerks
- Customer Service Representatives
Those who work as a Teller sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Dave Dugdale via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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