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Create ResumeTarget cashiers in the U.S. typically earn between $15 and $24 per hour, depending on location, shift availability, experience, and store demand. Most Target cashiers and Guest Advocates fall between $31,000 and $46,000+ per year, with higher earnings possible in major metro markets, high-volume stores, or leadership-track roles. Team members who cross-train in fulfillment, drive up, self-checkout, and guest services usually have stronger promotion potential and more scheduling opportunities.
The highest-paying Target front-end roles are rarely standard entry-level cashier positions alone. In practice, the employees who earn the most are those with flexible availability, strong guest service performance, and operational versatility. Many top earners move into Guest Advocate leadership, front-end support, service desk roles, or Team Lead tracks within 12 to 24 months.
Target cashier pay varies significantly based on geography, labor market competition, store volume, and scheduling flexibility.
Here’s the typical pay range across the U.S. market:
Entry-level Target cashier: $31,000 to $35,000 per year
Mid-level cashier or Guest Advocate: $35,000 to $40,000 per year
Experienced front-end team member: $40,000 to $46,000+ per year
High earners in premium markets or overtime-heavy roles: $48,000+
Hourly pay typically falls into these ranges:
Average Target cashier pay: $15 to $20 per hour
Higher-paying metro locations: $20 to $24 per hour
Annual compensation depends heavily on weekly hours. A cashier consistently working full-time hours with strong availability will earn substantially more than someone scheduled part time.
20 hours/week at $16/hour: about $16,600 annually
30 hours/week at $17/hour: about $26,500 annually
40 hours/week at $18/hour: about $37,400 annually
40 hours/week at $22/hour: about $45,700 annually
One major reality many job seekers miss is that actual yearly income is often tied more to scheduling consistency than the posted hourly rate.
A cashier earning $17/hour with unreliable availability may ultimately make less than a cross-trained team member earning $16/hour but consistently receiving 38 to 40 hours weekly.
Monthly earnings typically look like this before taxes:
Entry-level cashier: $2,500 to $2,900/month
Mid-level Guest Advocate: $2,900 to $3,300/month
Experienced front-end specialist: $3,300 to $3,800+/month
Employees working overtime, holidays, or peak seasonal schedules can exceed these estimates during high-volume retail periods.
Seasonal or high-demand periods may temporarily increase hours and earnings
Target’s broader hourly wage structure has historically ranged from approximately $15 to $24 per hour depending on role and market conditions.
Location is one of the biggest salary drivers in retail hiring.
Higher minimum wages, cost-of-living adjustments, and labor shortages all influence compensation.
California: $17 to $24/hour
Washington: $17 to $24/hour
Oregon: often above national average
Colorado: competitive metro pay in Denver markets
These states generally offer stronger wages because of higher state minimum wages and competitive labor markets.
New York: $16 to $23/hour
Massachusetts: $16 to $22/hour
New Jersey and Connecticut: above-average hourly rates
Urban stores in densely populated areas often pay more because turnover is higher and staffing competition is intense.
Illinois: typically strong metro-area rates
Minnesota: competitive due to Target headquarters influence
Michigan and Ohio: stable mid-range retail wages
Most Midwest Target stores maintain relatively steady compensation with moderate living costs.
Texas: $15 to $19/hour
Florida: $15 to $18/hour
Southern rural markets: usually lower ranges
Pay in Southern states varies more dramatically by city and labor demand.
Shift timing directly affects scheduling opportunities and long-term earning potential.
Day shift cashiers often receive the most stable schedules but also face the most competition.
These positions are frequently preferred by students, parents, and part-time workers, making advancement slower in some stores.
Employees willing to work evenings and close consistently are often viewed as more operationally valuable.
Why?
Because closing shifts involve:
Store recovery
Front-end cleanup
Register balancing support
High guest traffic periods
Staffing shortages
Managers often prioritize dependable closers for additional hours and cross-training opportunities.
Weekend availability is one of the biggest hiring advantages in retail.
From a recruiter perspective, candidates with open weekend availability immediately become more schedulable and operationally flexible.
That directly improves:
Hiring odds
Hours offered
Promotion potential
Cross-training opportunities
Holiday periods can substantially increase earnings due to:
More available shifts
Overtime opportunities
Extended operating hours
Seasonal staffing shortages
Employees who perform well during Q4 retail season are frequently considered first for internal advancement.
The highest-paying front-end employees at Target are usually not limited to traditional cashier duties.
The more operational value an employee provides, the stronger their earning potential becomes.
Guest Advocates often earn more because they handle broader responsibilities, including:
Checkout operations
Guest problem resolution
Target Circle support
Self-checkout assistance
Front-end flow management
This role is frequently the bridge between cashiering and leadership tracks.
Service desk employees handle more complex interactions, including:
Returns and exchanges
Order pickup support
Escalated guest concerns
Drive Up coordination
Payment troubleshooting
These roles often require stronger judgment and communication skills, which can increase advancement potential.
Self-checkout team members support multiple registers simultaneously and manage shrink-prevention awareness.
High-performing self-checkout associates often stand out because they demonstrate:
Attention to detail
Operational awareness
Fast issue resolution
Strong guest interaction under pressure
This is one of the most valuable positions operationally.
Employees trained across multiple functions can support:
Cashiering
Fulfillment
Drive Up
Guest services
Self-checkout
Order pickup
Cross-trained employees usually receive more consistent scheduling and stronger promotion consideration.
The biggest compensation jump comes from moving into leadership.
Front-End Team Leads oversee:
Team performance
Guest experience metrics
Front-end staffing
Escalations
Checkout flow
Training and coaching
Leadership-track employees can significantly out-earn standard cashier positions.
Many candidates incorrectly assume raises come mainly from tenure.
In reality, retail advancement is strongly tied to operational usefulness.
This is arguably the single most important factor.
Employees available for:
Nights
Weekends
Holidays
Peak retail periods
are substantially easier to schedule and often receive more hours.
Cross-trained employees are more valuable because managers can deploy them across multiple operational needs.
The most valuable combinations include:
Cashier + fulfillment
Cashier + Drive Up
Cashier + guest services
Cashier + self-checkout support
Retail leadership tracks strongly prioritize dependable employees.
Frequent call-outs or scheduling restrictions often stall advancement quickly.
Managers consistently favor employees who:
Show up reliably
Handle pressure well
Stay productive during peak traffic
Require minimal supervision
Strong guest interaction directly impacts advancement potential.
Employees who consistently:
De-escalate issues calmly
Maintain checkout speed
Handle complaints professionally
Deliver positive guest experiences
often become trainer or leadership candidates faster.
There is a significant operational difference between a new cashier and an experienced front-end employee.
Primary focus areas include:
Learning POS systems
Handling transactions accurately
Understanding Target Circle
Basic guest interaction
Checkout speed development
At this level, managers mainly evaluate consistency and coachability.
Experienced team members often handle:
High-volume traffic periods
Guest issue escalation
Self-checkout support
Training new hires
Front-end coordination
This is where employees begin transitioning from transactional work into operational support.
These employees often function as unofficial support leaders before formal promotion.
Managers rely on them for:
Lane management
Team support
Escalation handling
Workflow organization
Guest recovery situations
This stage is commonly where internal leadership pipelines begin.
Retail career progression is heavily performance-based.
Strong performers can move into leadership relatively quickly compared to many industries.
Target Cashier
Guest Advocate
Front-End Trainer or Service Advocate
Front-End Team Lead
Executive Team Leader
Store Leadership
Some of the strongest advancement opportunities come through operational diversification.
Examples include:
Cashier to fulfillment specialist
Cashier to Drive Up operations
Cashier to guest services desk
Cashier to specialty sales
Cashier to service and engagement leadership
Employees who understand multiple store functions become significantly more promotable.
Hourly pay is only one part of total compensation.
Eligible Target employees may also receive benefits such as:
Team member discounts
Health insurance
Dental and vision coverage
401(k) match eligibility
Education assistance programs
Paid time off
Paid training
Career development support
These benefits become increasingly valuable for employees pursuing long-term retail careers or internal leadership advancement.
Retail recruiters do not simply hire based on friendliness.
The strongest cashier candidates demonstrate operational reliability.
Open weekend availability
Evening shift flexibility
Strong customer service background
Reliable transportation
Fast-paced work experience
Ability to multitask under pressure
“I can only work weekday mornings and prefer shorter shifts.”
This immediately limits scheduling flexibility and operational usefulness.
“I’m available evenings, weekends, holidays, and flexible peak-hour shifts.”
This signals adaptability and increases scheduling value instantly.
Managers consistently promote employees who:
Require little supervision
Stay calm during rush periods
Solve guest problems independently
Learn multiple store functions quickly
Support overall team operations
Retail leadership is fundamentally about operational trust.
The employees who create the fewest management problems and improve guest experience usually move up the fastest.
If your goal is maximizing earnings and promotion potential, these strategies matter most.
Metro stores in states with higher wage laws often pay substantially more.
Open scheduling flexibility increases both hiring competitiveness and weekly hours.
Employees willing to work:
Holidays
Weekends
Closing shifts
Seasonal rush periods
often gain faster internal recognition.
Cross-training creates operational leverage.
The broader your skill set, the more valuable you become to scheduling managers.
Employees who proactively learn:
Front-end coordination
Guest escalation handling
Training support
Workflow management
typically position themselves for Team Lead tracks much faster.
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