Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
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.
Also called: Backroom Associate, Booking Clerk, Break Out Man, Break Out Worker, Car Checker, Cloth Booker
Median pay
$45,260
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$34,650 – $62,190
People employed
816,870
Holland code
CRE
Conventional · Realistic · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 2.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 3.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 4.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 5.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks salary in every state →
What shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks do
- 01Examine shipment contents and compare with records, such as manifests, invoices, or orders, to verify accuracy.
- 02Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
- 03Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials.
- 04Pack, seal, label, or affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using hand tools, power tools, or postage meter.
- 05Record shipment data, such as weight, charges, space availability, damages, or discrepancies, for reporting, accounting, or recordkeeping purposes.
- 06Confer or correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, or nonconformance to specifications.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Knowledge
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
- English Language
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Order Clerks84% · +2%
- Stockers and Order Fillers83% · −18%
- Procurement Clerks79% · +12%
- Office Clerks, General76% · −1%
- Log Graders and Scalers75% · +2%
Change into shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Stockers and Order Fillers88% · $37,330
- Order Clerks87% · $46,170
- Procurement Clerks84% · $50,580
- Driver/Sales Workers82% · $38,770
- Parts Salespersons82% · $38,630