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E-commerce and Retail Fulfillment
Amazon, Walmart, Target
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
These clerks keep goods moving in and out of warehouses, stores, and plants by checking shipments, updating inventory records, and making sure the right items go to the right place. The work is a mix of office-style recordkeeping and hands-on material handling, so the main tradeoff is between steady entry-level access and a job that is physical, detail-heavy, and under pressure when shipments are late or counts do not match.
Also known as Shipping ClerkReceiving ClerkInventory ClerkShipping and Receiving ClerkWarehouse Clerk
Median Salary
$43,190
Mean $44,890
U.S. Workforce
~858K
69.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-7.7%
862.2K to 795.8K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~858K workers, with a median annual pay of $43,190 and roughly 69.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 862.2 K in 2024 to 795.8K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Warehouse Associate and can progress toward Warehouse Operations Lead. High-value skills usually include Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) & ERP Software, Microsoft Excel & Spreadsheet Tracking, and Barcode Scanners & Inventory Control Systems, paired with soft skills such as Speaking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Core Responsibilities
- Arrange pickups and deliveries with carriers, then pass along the instructions needed to ship materials correctly.
- Move boxes, parts, or supplies to the right department using carts, hand trucks, conveyors, or storage bins.
- Choose the best shipping method and figure out rates, storage costs, or extra fees before goods go out.
- Track down missing items, damaged shipments, or order mismatches by talking with vendors, customers, or coworkers.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Arrange pickups and deliveries with carriers, then pass along the instructions needed to ship materials correctly.
02 Move boxes, parts, or supplies to the right department using carts, hand trucks, conveyors, or storage bins.
03 Choose the best shipping method and figure out rates, storage costs, or extra fees before goods go out.
04 Track down missing items, damaged shipments, or order mismatches by talking with vendors, customers, or coworkers.
05 Check incoming shipments against packing slips, invoices, and inventory records to make sure everything matches.
06 Prepare shipping papers, work orders, and labels so materials are sent to the correct destination.
Industries That Hire
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Parcel Delivery and Freight
UPS, FedEx, DHL
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Manufacturing
3M, Ford, General Electric
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Healthcare Distribution
McKesson, Cardinal Health, Owens & Minor
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Wholesale Distribution
Sysco, Grainger, Fastenal
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can enter the field with a high school diploma or equivalent, and BLS says no prior work experience is required.
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There are still a lot of jobs in the field, with 857,630 workers currently employed and 69.3K annual openings.
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Training is usually quick, since the typical preparation is short-term on-the-job training.
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The skills are useful across many industries, from retail and manufacturing to shipping and healthcare supply chains.
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The work has immediate, visible results: when records are right and shipments move on time, the whole operation runs better.
Challenges
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Employment is projected to fall by 7.7% from 2024 to 2034, so the long-term trend is downward.
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Pay is modest for a job that combines clerical work with physical labor, with median annual pay at $43,190.
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The role is usually on-site and physically active, so it is not a good fit if you want a desk-only job.
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Mistakes can quickly turn into late deliveries, missing inventory, or billing disputes, which makes the work stressful and repetitive.
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A lot of the work is routine and software-driven, so automation and inventory systems can limit long-term growth unless you move into supervision or operations.
Career Progression
Warehouse Associate
0-1 years
$30K-$35K
Beginners help sort, move, and count materials while learning the site’s shipping rules, inventory system, and safety procedures.
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerk
1-4 years
$36K-$48K
Workers at this level handle day-to-day shipment tracking, inventory records, carrier coordination, and problem-solving when counts or deliveries do not match.
Senior Inventory Clerk THIS ROLE
4-7 years
$49K-$58K
Experienced clerks take on more complex reconciliation work, train newer staff, and keep a closer eye on errors, shortages, and supply levels.
Warehouse Operations Lead
7+ years
$59K-$72K
Leads coordinate workflows, assign tasks, and help keep shipping, receiving, and inventory teams on schedule and accurate.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The standard entry point, held by 74.91% of workers in this role.
Associate degree in supply chain, business, or logistics
A smaller share of workers take this route, and 11.94% of people in the occupation report an associate's degree or other 2-year degree.
Bachelor's degree in business, logistics, or operations
This is a less common but useful option, with 10.76% of workers in the occupation holding a bachelor's degree.
Short-term on-the-job training with a warehouse or forklift certification
BLS says workers usually need only short-term on-the-job training, which makes this a realistic non-degree path for people who want to start quickly.
Key Skills
Technical
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) & ERP Software 58%
Microsoft Excel & Spreadsheet Tracking 56%
Barcode Scanners & Inventory Control Systems 54%
Bills of Lading, Packing Slips & Shipping Documents 52%
Carrier Portals & Freight Scheduling 50%
Soft Skills
SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingTime ManagementCoordination Job Outlook and Trends
+-7.7%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
69.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 862.2K to 795.8 K over the next decade, representing -7.7% growth. Around 69.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.