Occupation salary profile

Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

SOC 43-5071 BLS OEWS May 2025

Verify and maintain records on incoming and outgoing shipments involving inventory. Duties include verifying and recording incoming merchandise or material and arranging for the transportation of products. May prepare items for shipment. Excludes “Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping” (43-5111), “Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, except Postal Service” (43-9051), and “Stockers and Order Fillers” (53-7065).

National median · BLS
$45,260
▲ +4.79% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$46,810
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
816,870
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$34,650
25th$38,200
Median (50th)$45,260
75th$51,570
90th — top pay$62,190

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

BLS projects employment of shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks to decline 7.6% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 61,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
827,700 → 765,000
-62,800 jobs
Projected change
-7.6%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
61,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.9% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Speaking3.3
  • Active Listening3.1
  • Reading Comprehension3.1
  • Critical Thinking3.0
  • Monitoring3.0
  • Time Management3.0
  • Complex Problem Solving2.9
  • Coordination2.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.9
  • Social Perceptiveness2.9
Top knowledge areas
  • Administrative3.4
  • Computers and Electronics3.1
  • Production and Processing3.1
  • Mathematics3.0
  • English Language3.0
  • Administration and Management3.0
  • Customer and Personal Service2.9
  • Education and Training2.9
Software and technology used
Apple SafariMicrosoft EdgeMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMozilla FirefoxSAP softwareInventory management systemsWarehouse management system WMSWeb browser softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordAccuship Star SystemADi SmartBOLAES MailSTARAestiva Purchase OrderBarcode labeling softwareBill of lading software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks do

  • 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.
Also called
ReceiverReceiving ClerkShipperShipping ClerkMaterials Control AssociateOrder Fulfillment SpecialistReceiving AssociateReceiving CoordinatorShipping CoordinatorTraffic Assistant
More job titles for this occupation (72)
Backroom AssociateBooking ClerkBreak Out ManBreak Out WorkerCar CheckerCloth BookerContainer CoordinatorDisposition ClerkDistributing ClerkDistribution AssociateDistribution Center AssociateDistribution ClerkDistribution Team MemberExpress ClerkFish ReceiverForwarderFreight BreakerFreight ClerkFreight HandlerFreight SeparatorFruit Express AgentFruit ReceiverFuel Oil ClerkFulfillment AssociateFulfillment Mail ClerkGarment SorterGrain Elevator ClerkGun Repair ClerkIncoming Freight ClerkIndustrial Order ClerkInventory AssociateInventory ClerkInventory Control ClerkInventory Control CoordinatorInventory Control SpecialistInventory CoordinatorInventory SpecialistInventory TakerMaterials ProcessorMerchandiserMilk ReceiverOrder ClerkOrder FillerOrder WriterPackage SorterPaper Control ClerkPiggyback ClerkPostal Stationery Envelope Sales and Services Associate (PSE Sales and Services Associate)Reconsignment ClerkRetail Receiving AssociateReturn to Factory ClerkRoute Delivery ClerkRouting ClerkSheet WriterShip RunnerShipping and Receiving ClerkShipping and Receiving Warehouse AssociateShipping CheckerShipping Order ClerkShipping PackerStock ReceiverStore ReceiverStore Receiving ClerkSwitching ClerkTool Crib AttendantTraffic CoordinatorTraffic RecorderTraffic WorkerTruckload CheckerVault PersonVault WorkerWarehouse Receiver

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.