Folks who prefer interacting with people in person rather than over the phone or on the computer rely on bank tellers to process their deposits and mortgage payments, cash their checks and provide them with balances on savings accounts. Bank tellers also record all bank transactions, balance their cash drawers at the end of shifts and order bank cards for customers. Their salaries vary by length of service and geographical location.
Average Hourly Pay
Bank tellers earned average rates of $12.62 per hour as of May 2013, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top 10 percent made more than $16.96 an hour, while the lowest 10 percent made less than $9.56. Bank tellers usually have at least high school diplomas or General Educational Development certificates and train for approximately one month on the job. Other essential requirements are attention to detail and math and customer-service skills.
Income by State
Among the states, bank tellers made the most in Alaska at an average of $15.10 per hour in 2013, the BLS reported. They average $14.33, $13.76 and $13.51 in Connecticut, Massachusetts and California, respectively. Bank tellers in South Dakota averaged $11.54, while those in Arkansas averaged the least, at $11.44 an hour.
Job Outlook
The BLS expects employment for bank tellers to increase 1 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is much slower than the 11 percent rate for all U.S. jobs. Increases in online banking and advances in ATM technology will reduce demand for tellers during this decade.
