Bank Teller
Bank tellers handle the deposits, withdrawals and everyday transactions customers bring to the branch counter.
- Median salary
- $83,700
4.4%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 38,600
1.0%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +8.4%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- High
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 41/wk
+1h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
Bank tellers work at the counter of a bank branch, verifying customer identity, processing payments and keeping the till balanced against strict security and compliance rules. The role is easy to confuse with a personal banker or a customer service officer, but a teller's work stays with transactions rather than selling loans or investment products. Most work for the major retail banks, and many branches now run a smaller teller team supported by self-service machines for routine deposits and withdrawals.
How much do bank tellers earn?
The median full-time salary for a bank teller is $83,700 per annum, before tax, up $17,700 since 2018.
Teller pay is set by the banking industry award or by a bank's enterprise agreement, so two people doing the same job at different banks can be on different rates. Penalty rates for Saturday branch trading, permanent or casual status, and whether you work for a major bank or a smaller mutual all move the figure. Pay usually steps up when you move into a lending or personal banking role.
What does a bank teller do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Counting and handling cash accurately at a busy counter, where a short till at close means paperwork
- Checking identification and account details before every transaction, including the anti-money-laundering questions that apply to larger amounts
- Serving the same handful of requests, deposits, withdrawals, transfers and balance enquiries, dozens of times a shift
- Balancing the till at the end of the day and accounting for any difference before you can leave
- Recognising when a customer needs a lender or another specialist and handing them over rather than trying to solve it at the counter
What skills do bank tellers need?
Employers look for bookkeeping and ledgers, regulatory compliance, financial reporting, backed by Banking systems (Temenos, Finacle) fluency and strong attention to detail.
Specialist skills
- Bookkeeping and ledgers
- Regulatory compliance
- Financial reporting
Software and tools
- Banking systems (Temenos, Finacle)
- Cash handling equipment
- Point-of-sale terminals
- Document scanners
- CRM software
General skills
- Attention to detail
- Customer service
- Written communication
- Problem solving
Is the job growing?
About 38,600 people work as bank tellers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 8.4% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a bank teller?
Here's the path most bank tellers take, step by step.
- 1Finish Year 12 or equivalent
Most banks list Year 12 as the entry requirement, though they will consider equivalent work experience. No degree is needed, and the bank trains you in its own systems and procedures once you start.
- 2Add a short qualification if you have no finance background
A Certificate III in Business (BSB30120) or a Certificate III in Financial Services (FNS30122) covers cash handling, banking products and compliance, takes roughly six months to a year, and gives you something concrete to talk about in interviews. It is not compulsory, but it helps when several applicants have similar customer service experience.
- 3Apply directly to the banks and mutuals
The major banks and larger credit unions recruit through their own careers sites rather than mainly through agencies. Expect an online assessment covering numeracy and customer scenarios, then a group activity or interview, and police and background checks before any offer.
- 4Complete the paid induction and product training
Banks pay you while you learn the transaction system, identity verification rules, anti-money-laundering obligations and the product range. You will usually work a supervised till for a period before running your own.
- 5Use a customer service background if you are changing careers
Retail, hospitality, call centre and accounts experience all transfer, because the job is as much about reading people and getting details right as it is about money. Say so directly in your application rather than waiting for the interview.
Ready to apply as a bank teller?
Whether you're working toward becoming a bank teller or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a bank teller move to?
Moving into Bank Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $26,300 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Manager Tellers move into branch management using their banking product knowledge and customer service, taking on team leadership and more study.Known move | +$26,300 | 27% | reskill |
| Financial Accountant Tellers can retrain as financial accountants, using their finance background and attention to detail, though a degree and further study are required.Known move | +$20,500 | 58% | reskill |
| Loan Officer Tellers step into lending by assessing loan applications, using their transaction and customer skills with a short course in credit.Known move | +$10,200 | 38% | short course |
| Credit Controller Tellers move into credit control to manage overdue accounts, applying their transaction accuracy and customer contact skills with a short course.Known move | +$10,200 | 53% | short course |
| Personal Banker Tellers can become personal bankers, deepening customer relationships and selling financial products after reskilling in advice and compliance. | +$0 | 41% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a bank teller?
The typical bank teller is 37 years old; 65% are women, 77% work full-time, and full-timers average 41 hours a week.
- 37
- Median age
- 65%
- Female share
- 77%
- Full-time
- +1h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a bank teller?
The branch day has a rhythm: quiet mornings, a rush over lunch and after school pick-up, then a count of the till before everyone leaves. The work is more about accuracy and manner than technical skill, and it suits someone who likes knowing the regulars and getting the small details right. It is a solid first role in banking, though the routine wears thin for anyone who wants variety in their week.
What people like
- The hours are predictable. Branches keep set opening hours, so you know when your shift starts and ends, and there is no shift work or on-call roster.
- Customers bring you something you can actually solve. A misplaced payment, a card that will not work, a passbook to update. Much of the day ends with a problem fixed.
- You learn banking from the ground up. Transaction systems, identity rules and the product range are the same foundations that lending and branch management roles are built on.
- The team is small and steady. A branch runs with a handful of people who work together every day, which means colleagues get to know each other well.
What people find hard
- The transactions repeat all day. The same deposits, withdrawals and identity checks come across the counter dozens of times a shift, and the variation comes from the customer rather than the task.
- You are on your feet and on camera. Counter work means standing for most of the day under security cameras, following set procedures for cash, and counting drawers in view of everyone.
- Till errors land on you. If the drawer does not balance, you stay back and trace it through the day's transactions, and repeated shortfalls are treated seriously.
- You cannot fix everything a customer wants. Fees, declined transactions and lending decisions sit outside your authority, and explaining that to someone who is already frustrated is a regular part of the job.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ bank tellers?
Financial and Insurance Services employs the largest share of bank tellers.
Top employing industries
- 1Financial and Insurance Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 34.8% | |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor degree | 26.7% | |
| Postgraduate | 12.3% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 10.7% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 10.4% |
Will AI replace bank tellers?
Bank teller work is heavily exposed to automation. Self-service machines, mobile apps, automated identity checks and cash recyclers already handle much of the routine deposit, withdrawal and balance work, which is why branches run with smaller counter teams than they once did. What keeps people in the role is the part that is not a transaction: handling cash the machines cannot process, sorting out unusual situations, and knowing when to bring in a specialist.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Processing deposits, withdrawals and transfersSelf-service machines, apps and ATMs now take most routine transactions, and staff spend more of the day helping the customers who cannot or will not use them.35%high
- Checking identification and verifying customer detailsIn-app and at-machine identity checks do much of this already, though tellers still sight documents and ask source-of-funds questions on larger transactions.25%high
- Handling cash and balancing the tillCash recyclers count and reconcile notes faster than a person can, but coin orders, damaged notes and drawer differences still come to the counter.20%moderate
- Reading the customer and referring them onWorking out that a customer needs a lender, an estate specialist or a fraud check comes out of conversation and local knowledge that software does not have.20%low
Common questions about becoming a bank teller
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do bank tellers earn?
Full-time bank tellers earn a median of $83,700 per year before tax. What you take home depends on the award or enterprise agreement your bank uses, whether you work permanent or casual hours, and any penalty rates for late or Saturday trading. Part-time and casual roles are paid hourly and sit below the full-time median.
How do you become a bank teller?
Most banks ask for Year 12 and then train you themselves, so there is no degree requirement. A Certificate III in Business (BSB30120) or Financial Services helps you stand out, and the process normally includes numeracy and customer service assessments plus police and background checks.
Are bank tellers in demand?
Bank tellers are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 8.4% over the decade to 2035. Most openings are in retail branches, and the work is shifting toward the customers and transactions that self-service machines cannot handle, so customer service counts as much as numeracy when banks hire.
Will AI replace bank tellers?
A large share of teller work is already automated, and that is likely to continue. Self-service machines, mobile apps and automated identity checks handle most routine deposits, withdrawals and balance enquiries, and cash recyclers count notes faster than a person can. What stays at the counter is cash that machines cannot process, unusual transactions, and working out when a customer needs a lender or another specialist.
What can a bank teller move into?
Lending and branch management are the usual next steps. A loan officer role builds on the same transaction and customer knowledge with a short course in credit and pays $10,200 more, while a bank manager role pays $26,300 more and needs further study plus a record of leading a team. Credit control and financial accounting are other routes, though accounting requires a degree.
What hours do bank tellers work?
Full-time bank tellers average 41 hours a week, and 77% of them work full time. Branches keep set opening hours, so the schedule is predictable, though many now trade Saturday mornings and the roster is shared across the team.
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