Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks pay in the United States

Goes furthest in Iowa
·Office and Administrative Support·
817k jobs
Figures from US Bureau of Labor StatisticsOccupational Employment and Wage Statistics
$21.76/hr median
816,870 employed
-8% to 2035
53% AI exposure
High school diploma or equivalent
54 states reported
and more...

What this work is

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.

Where the money actually goes furthest

Washington pays the highest headline figure at $51,590. Adjusted for what things cost there it is worth $48,210 — less than Iowa, where $47,590 is worth $54,227.

Pay by state

54 states and territories publish a median for this occupation. Switch the ranking to see how much the order changes.

Adjusted for what things cost in that state.

Median pay for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks by state, ranked by what it is worth locally
StateHourlyAnnualWorth locallyAfter state taxJobs
Iowa$22.88/hr$47,590$54,227$46,3367,170
North Dakota$22.46/hr$46,730$52,529$46,7301,520
Indiana$22.75/hr$47,320$50,701$45,93027,600
Wisconsin$22.83/hr$47,490$50,467$46,07020,980
Vermont$23.60/hr$49,080$50,102$47,670780
South Dakota$21.00/hr$43,680$49,305$43,6802,740
Kansas$21.21/hr$44,110$48,973$41,9376,530
Nebraska$21.21/hr$44,110$48,956$42,7205,670
Tennessee$21.60/hr$44,920$48,895$44,92016,680
Ohio$21.76/hr$45,270$48,798$44,74135,880
Maine$22.67/hr$47,160$48,593$45,2162,470
Minnesota$23.03/hr$47,890$48,560$46,09613,210
Washington$24.80/hr$51,590$48,210$51,59019,500
Missouri$20.91/hr$43,480$47,874$42,29311,650
Kentucky$20.59/hr$42,830$47,504$41,24316,130
Pennsylvania$22.01/hr$45,780$46,920$44,37430,940
Michigan$21.70/hr$45,140$46,913$43,45924,980
Alaska$23.03/hr$47,900$46,795$47,900890
Illinois$22.48/hr$46,760$46,778$44,58233,030
Oklahoma$19.74/hr$41,060$46,744$39,5996,530
Arkansas$19.47/hr$40,500$46,583$39,0977,650
Massachusetts$23.67/hr$49,240$46,558$46,77814,370
Wyoming$20.67/hr$43,000$46,391$43,000730
South Carolina$20.88/hr$43,430$46,325$42,31914,160
Montana$20.96/hr$43,590$46,053$42,1321,560
New Hampshire$23.06/hr$47,960$46,040$47,9604,090
Oregon$22.86/hr$47,540$45,994$43,92111,210
Colorado$22.66/hr$47,130$45,735$45,74715,610
North Carolina$20.69/hr$43,040$45,627$41,75220,150
Louisiana$19.32/hr$40,180$45,550$39,3497,650
Georgia$20.97/hr$43,630$45,311$41,98828,150
District of Columbia$23.87/hr$49,660$45,186$47,756680
Hawaii$23.87/hr$49,660$45,165$47,3181,390
Arizona$21.83/hr$45,410$45,103$44,63920,280
Maryland$22.73/hr$47,280$45,045$45,21413,980
West Virginia$19.20/hr$39,940$44,625$38,7762,660
Rhode Island$21.89/hr$45,520$44,505$44,2082,420
Mississippi$18.57/hr$38,620$44,416$37,02111,330
Connecticut$22.02/hr$45,810$44,213$43,9986,480
Delaware$21.21/hr$44,120$44,203$42,2382,630
Alabama$18.72/hr$38,940$43,841$37,1837,720
Virginia$21.29/hr$44,290$43,808$42,48920,380
New York$22.65/hr$47,100$43,643$45,11430,750
Texas$20.29/hr$42,190$43,467$42,19087,280
Idaho$19.92/hr$41,430$43,386$40,0084,900
Nevada$20.77/hr$43,210$43,218$43,21012,390
New Mexico$18.68/hr$38,860$42,142$38,0493,420
California$22.36/hr$46,520$42,015$45,48388,760
New Jersey$21.85/hr$45,440$41,760$44,42129,440
Utah$18.77/hr$39,050$39,500$37,27315,750
Florida$19.57/hr$40,700$39,357$40,70044,040
Virgin Islands$17.42/hr$36,240Not publishedNot published80
Guam$15.56/hr$32,360Not publishedNot published630
Puerto Rico$12.53/hr$26,050Not publishedNot published5,200

National median for comparison: $45,260. “Worth locally” divides pay by the area’s price level, so a figure above the headline means money goes further there than the US average.

$45,260/year

$21.76/hr an hour, national median

Across the states

$22,380$65,880

25th to 75th percentile, lowest and highest state

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How much of this job could software do?

53%Moderate exposure
Hands, places, peopleLanguage and information

The two methods broadly agree.

Method 1 — ability mix43%

Cognitive share of O*NET ability importance (element families 1.A.1–1.A.4), O*NET 31.0

Method 2 — task content62%

Importance-weighted share of O*NET tasks classed as language or information work, O*NET 31.0

What this does and does not mean

Exposure means a model could plausibly do a meaningful share of the tasks in this job. It is not a forecast that the job disappears, and it says nothing about whether any employer will actually automate it.

For what the labour market expects, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in this occupation to change by -8% between 2025 and 2035, with about 61,300 openings a year.

Which parts are exposed

  • 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.

Amber marks language and information work. Green marks tasks that need a person in a place.

Where shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks move next

Occupations that share most of this one’s skills, with the pay difference and the change in AI exposure.

Location

San Diego, CA, United States of America (SAN-San Diego Intl.)

Photograph by MART PRODUCTION.