How much does a production clerk make?

In the U.S., experience and the difficulty of the schedules or materials a clerk handles can affect pay. Pay also varies by employer industry and location; useful computer skills or extra credentials may help someone earn more.

Coordinate and expedite the flow of work and materials within or between departments of an establishment according to production schedule. Duties include reviewing and distributing production, work, and shipment schedules; conferring with department supervisors to determine progress of work and completion dates; and compiling reports on progress of work, inventory levels, costs, and production problems. Excludes “Project Management Specialists” (13-1082) and “Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping” (43-5111).

What's a typical day like?

They check production schedules and inventory on a computer, then talk with supervisors or suppliers about progress and missing parts. If a delivery is late or work backs up, they adjust the schedule and report what is happening.

In the U.S., the usual starting point is a high school diploma or GED; a college degree may help but is not usually required. New clerks learn their employer’s systems on the job, often for several months (up to six).

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like keeping things organized and leading and selling.

A production clerk may have to rewrite the factory’s schedule when parts run short or work backs up—not just record what already happened.

The US figure is the median and the Japan figure is the average, so it's not a perfect comparison. Prices differ too.