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Counter and Rental Clerks

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they do

Receive orders, generally in person, for repairs, rentals, and services. May describe available options, compute cost, and accept payment.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $41,300 Median per year · $19.86/hr Most earn $29,800–$65,370

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Recommend and provide advice on a wide variety of products and services.
  • Prepare rental forms, obtaining customer signature and other information, such as required licenses.
  • Rent items, arrange for provision of services to customers, and accept returns.
  • Keep records of transactions and of the number of customers entering an establishment.
  • Reserve items for requested times and keep records of items rented.
  • Prepare merchandise for display or for purchase or rental.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 46,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Real estate23.0%
  • Automotive equipment rental and leasing14.2%
  • Automobile dealers14.1%
  • Rental and leasing services7.1%
  • Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance4.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 3 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 3 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people can start with a high school diploma and typically need only about 1 to 3 months of related work experience before they're ready.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school and build basic math, reading, and people skills, since you'll be computing costs and talking with customers every day.

  2. Cashier

    1-3 months

    A short stint in a customer-facing job teaches you to handle payments, take orders accurately, and stay calm when lines get busy.

  3. Counter and Rental Clerk

    Ongoing

    You take orders in person for repairs, rentals, and services, explain the choices, figure out the price, and collect payment.

Where it can lead

  1. Retail Salesperson

    6 months to 1 year of experience first

    You move from processing orders to actively helping customers choose products and services, which builds sales skills.

  2. Customer Service Representative

    1-2 years of experience first

    You handle more complex customer problems, often by phone or online, and learn to resolve issues and track customer needs.

  3. Sales Representative of Services

    2-4 years of experience first

    You take on a more senior role, finding new clients and selling services, usually with targets and a longer sales process.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and business or computer classesStrong math helps with computing costs, and basic computer skills help with the order and payment systems clerks use.
  • Get a part-time job in customer serviceA job at a store, restaurant, or rental shop gives you real experience handling customers and money.
  • Join a club that involves public speaking or teamworkGroups like debate, student government, or a school club help you practice explaining things clearly to others.
  • Volunteer at a community event or service deskHelping at a library, church, or local event gives you practice greeting people and solving small problems.
  • Learn to use spreadsheets or point-of-sale-style toolsHands-on practice with simple data entry and order tracking builds the accuracy this job needs.

In college

  • Take courses in business, communication, or customer serviceThese classes build the people skills and basic business sense that counter clerks use every day.
  • Work a campus job at a service desk or front counterJobs at a campus bookstore, recreation center, or student services office give you direct experience with customers and payments.
  • Take a short computer or Microsoft Office courseComfort with spreadsheets and order systems makes you a stronger candidate for counter and rental roles.
  • Seek a summer job at a rental or repair businessWorking at a rental shop, auto service center, or equipment rental counter gives you hands-on experience with the exact type of work this career involves.
  • Join a student organization that serves the publicLeadership in a club or event team builds teamwork, reliability, and confidence with the public.

Tips for getting started

  • Practice clear, friendly communication, since this job depends on explaining options and prices to people in person.
  • Get comfortable with basic math and any point-of-sale or booking software, because accuracy with money and orders matters a lot.
  • Look for part-time or weekend jobs at stores, rental shops, or service counters to start building experience early.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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