How to become a counter and rental clerk
Receive orders, generally in person, for repairs, rentals, and services. May describe available options, compute cost, and accept payment.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What counter and rental clerks do
- Explain rental fees, policies, and procedures.
- Provide information about rental items, such as availability, operation, or description.
- 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.
- Compute charges for merchandise or services and receive payments.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
Is counter and rental clerk a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 19% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- District of Columbia $53,760
- New Jersey $48,900
- Vermont $48,430
- Washington $47,820
- New Hampshire $47,250
Counter and Rental Clerks salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.