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.
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What Do Counter and Rental Clerks Take On?
The core tasks performed by counter and rental clerks span:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective counter and rental clerks draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
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
The U.S. employs around 1,411,819 counter and rental clerks working in the United States today. Demand is forecast 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.
How Much Do Counter and Rental Clerks Make in Different U.S. States?
| 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 vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| 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 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| 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 |
Industry Breakdown
Most 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 |
Counter and Rental Clerks work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- 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 tends to involve 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
Getting Started in This Career
Typical 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), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
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)
References
This profile draws on 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).
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