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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

Is this a competitive Counter and Rental Clerks salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$30K
P25$36K
P50$41K
P75$50K
P90$65K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
⚡
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- retail openings are at 4.8% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in retail trade are rising about 3.4% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.0-3.5% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $41,309 to $50,190 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Counter and Rental Clerks pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 7.2% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.4% wage growth of Retail Trade (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

Retail Trade is running a 4.8% job-openings rate with quits at 3.0% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has tightened for 2 straight months (4.2% up to 4.8%).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.2 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings climbed to 4.8% and quits returned to 3.0%. Frontline churn pressure is building again.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.4% per year, up from 3.1%, one of the few sectors accelerating.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

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
IndustryWorkforce 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)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual 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
4.8%
Quits Rate
3.0%

Retail openings rose to 774K (+49K) in June, rate up to 4.8%. Frontline turnover picked back up with the quit rate at 3.0% -- expect continued churn-driven wage pressure in hourly roles.

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.

Related Salary Data

Compare with other occupations
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Counter and Rental Clerks Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
California67,770 workersTexas36,600 workersFlorida27,160 workersNew York18,320 workersNorth Carolina17,580 workers

About This Data

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.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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