How much does a shipping clerk make?
a year · about $22 an hour
A typical shipping clerk in the United States makes $45,260 a year, about $22 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
A clerk checks arriving boxes against orders, scans barcodes, and records missing or damaged goods. Then they pack and label outgoing items, prepare shipping papers, and help choose the right carrier or route.
Did you know? Some U.S. shipping clerks may compare routes and shipping methods to choose the option with the least environmental impact.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $34,650 and $62,190How do you become one?
In the U.S., a high-school diploma or equivalent is typical, and related experience is not required. New clerks learn the job through short on-the-job training, often from an experienced worker.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like keeping things organized and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, shipping clerks with more experience, useful skills, or a certificate employers value may earn more. Pay can also differ by employer and industry, location, and whether the job has harder tasks or more responsibility.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($51,590), lowest in Mississippi ($38,620).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $34,650 | $45,260 | $62,190 | about 817,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $51,590 | about 20,000 |
| District of Columbia | $49,660 | about 680 |
| Hawaii | $49,660 | about 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $49,240 | about 14,000 |
| Vermont | $49,080 | about 780 |
Official definition: 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. Excludes “Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping” (43-5111), “Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, except Postal Service” (43-9051), and “Stockers and Order Fillers” (53-7065).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/material-recording-clerks.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/43-5071.00
- www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes435071.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY