Occupation salary profile

Counter and Rental Clerks

SOC 41-2021 BLS OEWS May 2025

Receive orders, generally in person, for repairs, rentals, and services. May describe available options, compute cost, and accept payment. Excludes “Fast Food and Counter Workers” (35-3023), “Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks” (43-4081), “Order Clerks” (43-4151), and “Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks” (43-4181).

National median · BLS
$41,300
▲ +7.16% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$45,700
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
400,810
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted) Loading…
Most jobs Loading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted) Loading…

Check your salary

Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Counter and Rental Clerks

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$29,800
25th$35,630
Median (50th)$41,300
75th$50,190
90th — top pay$65,370

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

Type in either box; the other updates instantly.

Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Counter and Rental Clerks

BLS projects employment of counter and rental clerks to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 46,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
409,400 → 421,900
+12,400 jobs
Projected change
+3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
46,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1.3% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need no formal education →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Counter and Rental Clerks

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening3.8
  • Service Orientation3.4
  • Speaking3.4
  • Reading Comprehension3.3
  • Critical Thinking3.1
  • Social Perceptiveness3.1
  • Coordination3.0
  • Monitoring3.0
  • Time Management3.0
  • Writing3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Customer and Personal Service4.5
  • English Language3.7
  • Administrative3.5
  • Sales and Marketing3.4
  • Administration and Management3.0
  • Mathematics3.0
  • Transportation2.7
  • Computers and Electronics2.6
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordOracle DatabaseDatabase softwareInventory management systems

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What counter and rental clerks do

  • 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.
Also called
Counter ClerkRental AgentRental Sales RepresentativeVideo ClerkCounter Service RepresentativeLeasing ConsultantRental AssistantRental AssociateRental ClerkRental Counter Clerk
More job titles for this occupation (75)
Airplane Charter ClerkApartment Rental ClerkApparel Rental ClerkAuto Rental ClerkAutomobile Rental ClerkAutomotive Customer Service Advisor (Auto Customer Service Advisor)Baby Stroller Rental ClerkBicycle Rental ClerkBoat Rental ClerkBoats RenterCar Rental AgentCheck Out ClerkClerk CashierClock Repair ClerkCounter AttendantCounter CheckerCounter HelperCounter PersonCounter Sales AssociateCounter Sales Representative (Counter Sales Rep)Counter SalespersonCoupon Redemption ClerkCurb AttendantDesk AttendantDesk GreeterDry Cleaners Counter ClerkDry Cleaning AttendantDry Cleaning Counter ClerkEquipment AssociateEquipment Rental ClerkEquipment Rental SpecialistExchange ClerkFood Sales ClerkFur Storage ClerkFurniture Rental ConsultantHospital Television Rental ClerkInstant Return Representative (Instant Return Rep)Laundry ClerkLaundry Counter ClerkLaundry Pricing ClerkLayaway ClerkOffice Rental ClerkParts Counter AssociateParts Counter Representative (Parts Counter Rep)Photo Booth OperatorPhoto Booth RenterRental Boats CaretakerRental CoordinatorRental RepresentativeRental Sales AgentRental Sales AssociateRental SpecialistRepair ClerkReturn AgentReturns AssociateReturns ClerkReturns CoordinatorRug MeasurerSelf Storage ManagerService Establishment AttendantService WriterShoe ClerkSkate Shop AttendantStorage CS Rep (Storage Customer Service Representative)Storage Facility Rental ClerkStore AssociateTool Rental ClerkTrailer Rental ClerkVehicle Return AssociateVideo Rental ClerkWatch Repair ClerkWheelchair AgentWheelchair Rental ClerkWill Call ClerkWill Call Order Clerk

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.