Counter and Rental Clerks Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 41-2021 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$41,309
$19.86/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Counter and Rental Clerks is $41,309 per year ($19.86/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $35,630 and $50,190 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $65,374 per year. There are approximately 400,810 counter and rental clerks employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Receive orders, generally in person, for repairs, rentals, and services. May describe available options, compute cost, and accept payment.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.2%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
46K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
408K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Real Estate
NAICS 531000
93K
$42,880
Automobile Dealers
NAICS 441100
58K
$48,610
Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing
NAICS 532100
57K
$38,090
Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only)
NAICS 5320A1
29K
$42,900
Automotive Repair and Maintenance
NAICS 811100
28K
$50,910
Wage range across top 5 industries: $38,090 to $50,910 (34% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$14.33
$29,806
P25
$17.13
$35,630
P50MEDIAN
$19.86
$41,309
P75
$24.13
$50,190
P90
$31.43
$65,374
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · retail sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.6%
Quits Rate
3.1%
Retail openings rose to 737K (+52K) in March, rate up to 4.6%. Hires increased to 684K (+73K). Frontline turnover persists with quit rate at 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average counter and rental clerks salary?
The national median salary for Counter and Rental Clerks is $41,309 per year ($19.86/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $35,630 and $50,190 annually.
How much do top-earning counter and rental clerks make?
The 90th percentile salary for Counter and Rental Clerks is $65,374 per year ($31.43/hr). The 75th percentile is $50,190 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for counter and rental clerks?
Entry-level Counter and Rental Clerks (10th percentile) earn approximately $29,806 per year ($14.33/hr). The 25th percentile is $35,630 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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