Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,650 | $16.66 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $45,260 | $21.76 |
| Mean (average) | $46,810 | $22.50 |
| 90th percentile | $62,190 | $29.90 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,940 | $29,870 | $56,160 | 7,720 | 0.7 |
| Alaska | $47,900 | $36,530 | $72,720 | 890 | 0.52 |
| Arizona | $45,410 | $36,120 | $62,060 | 20,280 | 1.19 |
| Arkansas | $40,500 | $29,310 | $58,390 | 7,650 | 1.12 |
| California | $46,520 | $37,390 | $64,650 | 88,760 | 0.93 |
| Colorado | $47,130 | $36,460 | $66,490 | 15,610 | 1.03 |
| Connecticut | $45,810 | $37,360 | $63,430 | 6,480 | 0.73 |
| Delaware | $44,120 | $34,530 | $60,510 | 2,630 | 1.03 |
| District of Columbia | $49,660 | $41,910 | $71,530 | 680 | 0.18 |
| Florida | $40,700 | $30,990 | $60,580 | 44,040 | 0.84 |
| Georgia | $43,630 | $32,130 | $60,130 | 28,150 | 1.1 |
| Guam | $32,360 | $23,560 | $53,790 | 630 | 1.8 |
| Hawaii | $49,660 | $38,150 | $81,470 | 1,390 | 0.42 |
| Idaho | $41,430 | $30,820 | $58,550 | 4,900 | 1.09 |
| Illinois | $46,760 | $36,750 | $63,400 | 33,030 | 1.03 |
| Indiana | $47,320 | $36,490 | $61,050 | 27,600 | 1.64 |
| Iowa | $47,590 | $35,990 | $62,420 | 7,170 | 0.87 |
| Kansas | $44,110 | $33,550 | $58,680 | 6,530 | 0.86 |
| Kentucky | $42,830 | $31,980 | $58,840 | 16,130 | 1.53 |
| Louisiana | $40,180 | $29,250 | $61,690 | 7,650 | 0.75 |
| Maine | $47,160 | $37,430 | $63,030 | 2,470 | 0.73 |
| Maryland | $47,280 | $36,150 | $63,090 | 13,980 | 0.96 |
| Massachusetts | $49,240 | $38,820 | $68,500 | 14,370 | 0.75 |
| Michigan | $45,140 | $35,200 | $61,170 | 24,980 | 1.08 |
| Minnesota | $47,890 | $36,530 | $62,770 | 13,210 | 0.85 |
| Mississippi | $38,620 | $30,310 | $55,810 | 11,330 | 1.85 |
| Missouri | $43,480 | $33,290 | $60,780 | 11,650 | 0.76 |
| Montana | $43,590 | $33,280 | $59,300 | 1,560 | 0.58 |
| Nebraska | $44,110 | $34,910 | $57,960 | 5,670 | 1.05 |
| Nevada | $43,210 | $36,110 | $58,080 | 12,390 | 1.52 |
| New Hampshire | $47,960 | $37,170 | $63,940 | 4,090 | 1.14 |
| New Jersey | $45,440 | $34,540 | $65,260 | 29,440 | 1.31 |
| New Mexico | $38,860 | $31,400 | $59,300 | 3,420 | 0.75 |
| New York | $47,100 | $36,450 | $65,950 | 30,750 | 0.6 |
| North Carolina | $43,040 | $32,570 | $58,980 | 20,150 | 0.78 |
| North Dakota | $46,730 | $35,710 | $65,370 | 1,520 | 0.67 |
| Ohio | $45,270 | $35,510 | $60,740 | 35,880 | 1.23 |
| Oklahoma | $41,060 | $31,080 | $59,960 | 6,530 | 0.73 |
| Oregon | $47,540 | $36,780 | $65,120 | 11,210 | 1.08 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,780 | $34,640 | $61,420 | 30,940 | 0.97 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,050 | $21,840 | $45,560 | 5,200 | 1.05 |
| Rhode Island | $45,520 | $35,710 | $61,480 | 2,420 | 0.92 |
| South Carolina | $43,430 | $32,500 | $59,700 | 14,160 | 1.17 |
| South Dakota | $43,680 | $31,520 | $55,680 | 2,740 | 1.14 |
| Tennessee | $44,920 | $33,380 | $61,050 | 16,680 | 0.97 |
| Texas | $42,190 | $31,030 | $58,940 | 87,280 | 1.18 |
| Utah | $39,050 | $35,650 | $53,960 | 15,750 | 1.73 |
| Vermont | $49,080 | $39,030 | $64,410 | 780 | 0.49 |
| Virgin Islands | $36,240 | $26,990 | $45,280 | 80 | 0.49 |
| Virginia | $44,290 | $33,020 | $64,050 | 20,380 | 0.94 |
| Washington | $51,590 | $38,930 | $93,210 | 19,500 | 1.05 |
| West Virginia | $39,940 | $30,330 | $67,760 | 2,660 | 0.72 |
| Wisconsin | $47,490 | $36,290 | $62,070 | 20,980 | 1.36 |
| Wyoming | $43,000 | $34,270 | $65,430 | 730 | 0.49 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 61,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Examine shipment contents and compare with records, such as manifests, invoices, or orders, to verify accuracy.
- Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
- Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials.
- Pack, seal, label, or affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using hand tools, power tools, or postage meter.
- Record shipment data, such as weight, charges, space availability, damages, or discrepancies, for reporting, accounting, or recordkeeping purposes.
- Confer or correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, or nonconformance to specifications.
- Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
- Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
Technology skills
- Apple Safari (in demand)
- Microsoft Edge (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Mozilla Firefox (in demand)
- SAP software (in demand)
- Inventory management systems (in demand)
- Warehouse management system WMS (in demand)
- Web browser software (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- ADi SmartBOL
- AES MailSTAR
- Accuship Star System
- Aestiva Purchase Order
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Materials Control Associate, Order Fulfillment Specialist, Receiver, Receiving Associate, Receiving Clerk, Receiving Coordinator, Shipper, Shipping Clerk, Shipping Coordinator, Traffic Assistant.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks make?
The national median annual wage for shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks was $45,260 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $34,650 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $62,190. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks a growing career?
BLS projects employment of shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks to change -7.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 61,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($51,590), District of Columbia ($49,660), Hawaii ($49,660). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.