Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (SOC 43-5071) earn a median $45,260 a year ($21.76 an hour) in the United States, with 816,870 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks do
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks verify and maintain records on incoming and outgoing shipments that involve inventory. On the receiving side, they examine the contents of a shipment and compare them with manifests, invoices, or orders to verify accuracy, and they record data such as weight, charges, damages, and discrepancies. On the shipping side, they draw up paperwork including work orders, bills of lading, and shipping orders, and they arrange the transportation of products by contacting carrier representatives about shipping and delivery. Some pack, seal, label, or affix postage to materials using hand tools, power tools, or a postage meter. They requisition and store shipping materials and supplies, deliver or route materials to departments by handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins, and confer with establishment representatives to fix problems such as damage, shortages, or failure to meet specifications. Recordkeeping weighers and checkers, non-postal mail clerks and mail machine operators, and stockers and order fillers are excluded, each with its own code.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Backroom Associate, Booking Clerk, Break Out Man, Break Out Worker, Car Checker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.66 | $18.37 | $21.76 | $24.79 | $29.90 | $22.50 | 816,870 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $38,200 | $45,260 | $51,570 | $62,190 | $46,810 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.72 | $21.75 | $24.80 | $29.78 | $44.81 | $27.65 | 19,500 | 5.49 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $38,930 | $45,240 | $51,590 | $61,950 | $93,210 | $57,510 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $20.15 | $21.96 | $23.87 | $31.14 | $34.39 | $26.52 | 680 | 0.97 | 0.18 |
| Annual | $41,910 | $45,670 | $49,660 | $64,770 | $71,530 | $55,160 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $18.34 | $20.18 | $23.87 | $31.67 | $39.17 | $26.97 | 1,390 | 2.21 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $38,150 | $41,980 | $49,660 | $65,880 | $81,470 | $56,100 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $18.66 | $21.16 | $23.67 | $28.59 | $32.93 | $25.27 | 14,370 | 3.95 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $38,820 | $44,010 | $49,240 | $59,470 | $68,500 | $52,560 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $18.77 | $20.50 | $23.60 | $27.71 | $30.97 | $24.40 | 780 | 2.56 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $39,030 | $42,640 | $49,080 | $57,630 | $64,410 | $50,760 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.98 | $19.21 | $22.36 | $26.89 | $31.08 | $23.68 | 88,760 | 4.87 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $37,390 | $39,970 | $46,520 | $55,930 | $64,650 | $49,250 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.92 | $17.38 | $20.29 | $23.04 | $28.34 | $21.04 | 87,280 | 6.20 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $31,030 | $36,140 | $42,190 | $47,930 | $58,940 | $43,760 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $14.90 | $17.41 | $19.57 | $23.43 | $29.12 | $21.16 | 44,040 | 4.44 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $30,990 | $36,200 | $40,700 | $48,740 | $60,580 | $44,010 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $17.07 | $18.61 | $21.76 | $23.97 | $29.20 | $22.26 | 35,880 | 6.46 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $35,510 | $38,700 | $45,270 | $49,850 | $60,740 | $46,290 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.67 | $19.29 | $22.48 | $26.70 | $30.48 | $23.50 | 33,030 | 5.42 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $36,750 | $40,130 | $46,760 | $55,540 | $63,400 | $48,880 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $19.43 | $22.81 | $27.10 | $33.13 | $48.45 | $29.75 | 12,520 | 6.00 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $40,410 | $47,440 | $56,370 | $68,920 | $100,780 | $61,870 | ||||
| Walla Walla, WA | Hourly | $18.90 | $21.81 | $26.90 | $26.90 | $28.40 | $24.70 | 150 | 5.87 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $39,310 | $45,350 | $55,960 | $55,960 | $59,070 | $51,380 | ||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $20.79 | $23.15 | $26.90 | $31.74 | $33.56 | $27.05 | 120 | 1.59 | 0.30 |
| Annual | $43,240 | $48,140 | $55,950 | $66,020 | $69,810 | $56,270 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $20.23 | $21.79 | $26.69 | $34.45 | $35.54 | $27.37 | 330 | 4.24 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $42,070 | $45,320 | $55,520 | $71,650 | $73,930 | $56,930 | ||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $18.74 | $21.01 | $26.40 | $30.79 | $34.44 | $26.38 | 290 | 3.10 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $38,980 | $43,710 | $54,910 | $64,050 | $71,640 | $54,870 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.46 | $19.98 | $22.38 | $27.36 | $31.97 | $24.10 | 38,970 | 4.11 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $36,310 | $41,550 | $46,550 | $56,900 | $66,490 | $50,130 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.74 | $18.89 | $22.11 | $25.27 | $30.38 | $23.12 | 33,250 | 5.30 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $36,900 | $39,280 | $45,980 | $52,550 | $63,190 | $48,090 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $15.74 | $17.84 | $21.30 | $23.65 | $29.46 | $21.81 | 29,670 | 7.33 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $32,730 | $37,100 | $44,310 | $49,190 | $61,270 | $45,350 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.86 | $19.57 | $22.95 | $27.79 | $31.09 | $24.05 | 26,030 | 5.77 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $37,150 | $40,710 | $47,740 | $57,790 | $64,680 | $50,030 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $15.00 | $17.48 | $19.99 | $22.91 | $28.31 | $21.01 | 22,670 | 6.89 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $36,360 | $41,590 | $47,660 | $58,890 | $43,690 | ||||
Top industries employing shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
Warehousing and Storage employ 10.9% of shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks nationally (89,090 jobs) at a median $46,640 a year ($22.42 an hour), followed by Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) (4.3%) and Employment Services (4.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warehousing and Storage NAICS 493100 | 89,090 | 10.9% | $46,640 | $22.42 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) NAICS 4230A1 | 35,520 | 4.3% | $44,960 | $21.62 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 32,480 | 4.0% | $38,050 | $18.29 |
| Electronics and Appliance Retailers NAICS 449200 | 20,480 | 2.5% | $36,910 | $17.74 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) NAICS 4450A1 | 20,320 | 2.5% | $42,120 | $20.25 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (816,870). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $36,890 for shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks in May 2021 and $45,260 in May 2025, with employment of 795,360 and 816,870.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $36,890 | $17.74 | 795,360 |
| May 2022 | $37,760 | $18.15 | 848,240 |
| May 2023 | $39,780 | $19.12 | 844,120 |
| May 2024 | $43,190 | $20.77 | 857,630 |
| May 2025 | $45,260 | $21.76 | 816,870 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $24.80 | $51,590 | $38,930 | $93,210 | 19,500 | 5.49 | 1.05 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $23.87 | $49,660 | $41,910 | $71,530 | 680 | 0.97 | 0.18 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $23.87 | $49,660 | $38,150 | $81,470 | 1,390 | 2.21 | 0.42 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $23.67 | $49,240 | $38,820 | $68,500 | 14,370 | 3.95 | 0.75 |
| 5 | Vermont profile | $23.60 | $49,080 | $39,030 | $64,410 | 780 | 2.56 | 0.49 |
| 6 | New Hampshire profile | $23.06 | $47,960 | $37,170 | $63,940 | 4,090 | 5.99 | 1.14 |
| 7 | Alaska profile | $23.03 | $47,900 | $36,530 | $72,720 | 890 | 2.73 | 0.52 |
| 8 | Minnesota profile | $23.03 | $47,890 | $36,530 | $62,770 | 13,210 | 4.48 | 0.85 |
| 9 | Iowa profile | $22.88 | $47,590 | $35,990 | $62,420 | 7,170 | 4.60 | 0.87 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $22.86 | $47,540 | $36,780 | $65,120 | 11,210 | 5.70 | 1.08 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $22.83 | $47,490 | $36,290 | $62,070 | 20,980 | 7.13 | 1.36 |
| 12 | Indiana profile | $22.75 | $47,320 | $36,490 | $61,050 | 27,600 | 8.62 | 1.64 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $22.73 | $47,280 | $36,150 | $63,090 | 13,980 | 5.06 | 0.96 |
| 14 | Maine profile | $22.67 | $47,160 | $37,430 | $63,030 | 2,470 | 3.86 | 0.73 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $22.66 | $47,130 | $36,460 | $66,490 | 15,610 | 5.43 | 1.03 |
| 16 | New York profile | $22.65 | $47,100 | $36,450 | $65,950 | 30,750 | 3.17 | 0.60 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $22.48 | $46,760 | $36,750 | $63,400 | 33,030 | 5.42 | 1.03 |
| 18 | North Dakota profile | $22.46 | $46,730 | $35,710 | $65,370 | 1,520 | 3.54 | 0.67 |
| 19 | California profile | $22.36 | $46,520 | $37,390 | $64,650 | 88,760 | 4.87 | 0.93 |
| 20 | Connecticut profile | $22.02 | $45,810 | $37,360 | $63,430 | 6,480 | 3.82 | 0.73 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.01 | $45,780 | $34,640 | $61,420 | 30,940 | 5.10 | 0.97 |
| 22 | Rhode Island profile | $21.89 | $45,520 | $35,710 | $61,480 | 2,420 | 4.83 | 0.92 |
| 23 | New Jersey profile | $21.85 | $45,440 | $34,540 | $65,260 | 29,440 | 6.87 | 1.31 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $21.83 | $45,410 | $36,120 | $62,060 | 20,280 | 6.26 | 1.19 |
| 25 | Ohio profile | $21.76 | $45,270 | $35,510 | $60,740 | 35,880 | 6.46 | 1.23 |
| 26 | Michigan profile | $21.70 | $45,140 | $35,200 | $61,170 | 24,980 | 5.67 | 1.08 |
| 27 | Tennessee profile | $21.60 | $44,920 | $33,380 | $61,050 | 16,680 | 5.09 | 0.97 |
| 28 | Virginia profile | $21.29 | $44,290 | $33,020 | $64,050 | 20,380 | 4.96 | 0.94 |
| 29 | Delaware profile | $21.21 | $44,120 | $34,530 | $60,510 | 2,630 | 5.43 | 1.03 |
| 30 | Kansas profile | $21.21 | $44,110 | $33,550 | $58,680 | 6,530 | 4.54 | 0.86 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $21.21 | $44,110 | $34,910 | $57,960 | 5,670 | 5.54 | 1.05 |
| 32 | South Dakota profile | $21.00 | $43,680 | $31,520 | $55,680 | 2,740 | 5.99 | 1.14 |
| 33 | Georgia profile | $20.97 | $43,630 | $32,130 | $60,130 | 28,150 | 5.76 | 1.10 |
| 34 | Montana profile | $20.96 | $43,590 | $33,280 | $59,300 | 1,560 | 3.04 | 0.58 |
| 35 | Missouri profile | $20.91 | $43,480 | $33,290 | $60,780 | 11,650 | 3.97 | 0.76 |
| 36 | South Carolina profile | $20.88 | $43,430 | $32,500 | $59,700 | 14,160 | 6.14 | 1.17 |
| 37 | Nevada profile | $20.77 | $43,210 | $36,110 | $58,080 | 12,390 | 7.98 | 1.52 |
| 38 | North Carolina profile | $20.69 | $43,040 | $32,570 | $58,980 | 20,150 | 4.08 | 0.78 |
| 39 | Wyoming profile | $20.67 | $43,000 | $34,270 | $65,430 | 730 | 2.59 | 0.49 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $20.59 | $42,830 | $31,980 | $58,840 | 16,130 | 8.06 | 1.53 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $20.29 | $42,190 | $31,030 | $58,940 | 87,280 | 6.20 | 1.18 |
| 42 | Idaho profile | $19.92 | $41,430 | $30,820 | $58,550 | 4,900 | 5.71 | 1.09 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $19.74 | $41,060 | $31,080 | $59,960 | 6,530 | 3.82 | 0.73 |
| 44 | Florida profile | $19.57 | $40,700 | $30,990 | $60,580 | 44,040 | 4.44 | 0.84 |
| 45 | Arkansas profile | $19.47 | $40,500 | $29,310 | $58,390 | 7,650 | 5.87 | 1.12 |
| 46 | Louisiana profile | $19.32 | $40,180 | $29,250 | $61,690 | 7,650 | 3.95 | 0.75 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $19.20 | $39,940 | $30,330 | $67,760 | 2,660 | 3.80 | 0.72 |
| 48 | Utah profile | $18.77 | $39,050 | $35,650 | $53,960 | 15,750 | 9.08 | 1.73 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $18.72 | $38,940 | $29,870 | $56,160 | 7,720 | 3.65 | 0.70 |
| 50 | New Mexico profile | $18.68 | $38,860 | $31,400 | $59,300 | 3,420 | 3.93 | 0.75 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $18.57 | $38,620 | $30,310 | $55,810 | 11,330 | 9.74 | 1.85 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-5071 Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-5071, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-5071.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.