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Vehicle Rental
Enterprise, Hertz, Avis Budget Group
Counter and Rental Clerks
These clerks help people choose rental items, explain prices and rules, take payments, and keep the paperwork and records accurate. The job is a mix of customer service and light operations, so you have to stay friendly while also moving quickly and checking details carefully. The tradeoff is a fairly easy entry point and lots of day-to-day contact with the public, versus modest pay and work that can get repetitive or tense when items are late, damaged, or missing.
Also known as Rental Sales AssociateRental Counter ClerkCounter Sales AssociateRental AgentCustomer Service Associate
Median Salary
$38,540
Mean $43,700
U.S. Workforce
~399K
45.9K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+3.2%
408.2K to 421.3K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Counter and Rental Clerks sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~399K workers, with a median annual pay of $38,540 and roughly 45.9K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 408.2 K in 2024 to 421.3K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with No Formal Educational Credential, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Retail or Customer Service Associate and can progress toward Branch or Store Manager. High-value skills usually include Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems & Cash Registers, Rental Management Software & Reservation Systems, and Inventory Tracking Systems & Barcode Scanners, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Service Orientation, and Speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Help customers figure out which rental item or merchandise best fits what they need.
- Explain pricing, rental terms, return rules, and any extra charges before a transaction is completed.
- Answer phone calls, check availability, and take orders or reservation details.
- Inspect, adjust, and prepare rental items so they are ready for the next customer.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Help customers figure out which rental item or merchandise best fits what they need.
02 Explain pricing, rental terms, return rules, and any extra charges before a transaction is completed.
03 Answer phone calls, check availability, and take orders or reservation details.
04 Inspect, adjust, and prepare rental items so they are ready for the next customer.
05 Calculate totals, accept payments, and enter each transaction into the register or computer system.
06 Keep track of what comes in and goes out, and maintain basic records of customers and transactions.
Industries That Hire
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Equipment & Tool Rental
United Rentals, Sunbelt Rentals, Herc Rentals
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Home Improvement Retail
The Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards
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Consumer Electronics Retail
Best Buy, Target, Walmart
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Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail
REI, Dick's Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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It is an accessible job to enter: BLS says no formal educational credential is typical, and training is usually short-term on the job.
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There are many openings, with about 45.9K annual openings and 398,620 workers already employed in the occupation.
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The work stays people-focused, so if you like helping customers solve small problems, the day rarely feels isolated.
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You build transferable skills in payment processing, record keeping, phone support, and inventory checks that can move with you to other jobs.
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The role exists in many industries, from vehicle rental to retail, so you can often change employers without learning an entirely new field.
Challenges
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The pay is modest, with a median annual wage of $38,540 and a mean of $43,700, so it may not stretch far in high-cost areas.
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Growth is slow, at just 3.2% projected from 2024 to 2034, which means the field is not expanding quickly.
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There is a real career ceiling: the role has no experience requirement, so many workers stay in the same pay band unless they move into lead or supervisor jobs.
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The job can get stressful when customers dispute fees, return damaged items, or need help fast while the line is growing.
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Automation is a structural risk, since online reservations, self-check-in, and kiosks can reduce the amount of counter work over time.
Career Progression
Retail or Customer Service Associate
0-1 years
$28K-$33K
You learn the basics of helping customers, handling simple transactions, and following store or rental procedures.
Counter and Rental Clerk
1-3 years
$34K-$42K
You manage the front counter, process payments, explain policies, and keep rental or sales records accurate.
Senior Counter Clerk THIS ROLE
3-5 years
$43K-$51K
You handle trickier customer issues, train newer staff, and take on more responsibility for closing and daily workflow.
Rental Operations Supervisor
5-8 years
$52K-$64K
You oversee schedules, inventory flow, customer escalations, and the quality of service at the counter.
Branch or Store Manager
8-12 years
$65K-$85K
You run the location, manage staff, control costs, and make sure sales, service, and inventory targets are met.
Education Paths
No Formal Educational Credential
BLS lists this as the typical entry route, with short-term on-the-job training usually provided after hiring.
High School Diploma
The most common education level in the occupation, held by 55.86% of workers.
Some College Courses or Post-Secondary Certificate
A smaller alternative path, with 13.21% reporting some college courses and 0.43% holding a post-secondary certificate.
Bachelor's Degree
Another route for job seekers, held by 20.25% of workers even though the role usually does not require a four-year degree.
Key Skills
Technical
Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems & Cash Registers 84%
Rental Management Software & Reservation Systems 80%
Inventory Tracking Systems & Barcode Scanners 76%
Payment Processing, Refunds & Cash Reconciliation 72%
Phone Systems & Order Entry 68%
Microsoft Excel & Transaction Logging 64%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningService OrientationSpeakingReading ComprehensionSocial PerceptivenessCritical Thinking Job Outlook and Trends
+3.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
45.9K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 408.2K to 421.3 K over the next decade, representing 3.2% growth. Around 45.9 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.