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Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 43-5071.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$45,195

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
−2.2%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

74.9% of the workforce

Employment
827.43K jobs

Growing to 808.86K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Examine shipment contents and compare with records, such as manifests, invoices, or orders, to verify accuracy.
  • Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials.
  • Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
  • 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.
  • Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped.
  • Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
  • Compute amounts, such as space available, shipping, storage, or demurrage charges, using computer or price list.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$34,498
25th percentile
$38,096
50th percentile
$45,195
75th percentile
$51,536
90th percentile
$62,473

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $45,195 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

−2.2%projected to decline
2025827,433 jobs
2035 projected808,858 jobs

18,575 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
74.9%
Associate degree
11.9%
Bachelor's degree
10.8%
Some college
1.9%
Certificate
0.5%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Warehousing
  • Inventory Management
  • Lifting Ability
  • Shipping And Receiving
  • Inventory Control
  • Cycle Counting
  • Forklift Truck
  • Packaging And Labeling
  • Auditing
  • Merchandising
  • Inventory Management System
  • Pallet Jacks
  • Loading And Unloading
  • Physical Inventory
  • Data Entry
  • Purchasing
  • Invoicing
  • General Mathematics
  • Palletizing
  • Warehouse Operations

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Inventory Specialists8,489 postings
  2. 02Shipping and Receiving Clerks8,037 postings
  3. 03Shipping Clerks5,259 postings
  4. 04Receiving Clerks4,133 postings
  5. 05Inventory Clerks3,594 postings
  6. 06Inventory Control Specialists3,571 postings
  7. 07Inventory Coordinators2,402 postings
  8. 08Inventory Associates2,267 postings
  9. 09Shipping and Receiving Associates2,116 postings
  10. 10Inventory Control Clerks2,083 postings
  11. 11Receiving Associates1,957 postings
  12. 12Shipping Associates1,927 postings
  13. 13Supply Technicians1,711 postings
  14. 14Fulfillment Associates1,699 postings
  15. 15Sales Service Representatives/Merchandisers/Order Writers1,688 postings
  16. 16Cycle Counters1,424 postings
  17. 17Shippers/Receivers1,236 postings
  18. 18Inventory Control Coordinators1,219 postings
  19. 19Inventory Control Associates1,108 postings
  20. 20Inventory Technicians1,072 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Aerotek3,216 postings
  2. 02Walgreens Boots Alliance2,174 postings
  3. 03Randstad1,862 postings
  4. 04Mondelez International1,689 postings
  5. 05PICS | Inventory Specialists996 postings
  6. 06Costco924 postings
  7. 07Whole Foods831 postings
  8. 08Kelly Services786 postings
  9. 09ManpowerGroup756 postings
  10. 10CarMax730 postings
  11. 11Adecco680 postings
  12. 12Robert Half578 postings
  13. 13Macy's550 postings
  14. 14Floor & Decor503 postings
  15. 15WIS International429 postings
  16. 16Staffmark392 postings
  17. 17Boot Barn372 postings
  18. 18Express Employment Professionals349 postings
  19. 19Kroger342 postings
  20. 20Ryder337 postings

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