← All careers

Business & Finance

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$45,260

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$35k – $62k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

Plan my path to this →

How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$500–$3,150

Time to qualify

1 yr

Renewal

  1. 1

    High school diploma or GED

    Course

    Expected by most employers; if you need the GED, test fees run $0–$150 depending on the state.

    $0–$150 · 3 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    On-the-job training

    Experience

    Employer-provided and typically paid — days to a few months for most no-degree roles.

    Cost varies · 3 months source

  3. 3

    Industry certification (optional for many roles)

    Certification

    Role-dependent — e.g. CPA, Series 7/65, PMP, SHRM. Not always required, but often expected for advancement.

    $500–$3,000 · 6 months source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

    Entry / Junior

    $34,650

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

    Established

    $45,260

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

    Senior

    $53,725

Key skills

A typical day

  • 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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Business & Finance

Explore all

Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.