How to become a 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.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks do
- Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
- Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
- Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
- Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped.
- 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.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
Is shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 11% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- Washington $51,590
- District of Columbia $49,660
- Hawaii $49,660
- Massachusetts $49,240
- Vermont $49,080
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.