Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$45,260
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$21.76
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$62,190
entry level starts ~$34,650
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 817,000 employed

How much do Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks make?

Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks earn a median annual salary of $45,260 in the United States, which works out to roughly $21.76 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $34,650 at the entry level and $62,190 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $38,200 and $51,570 a year.

That is $16,130 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks salary range by percentile

Half of all Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks earn between $38,200 and $51,570 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$34,650$16.66
25th percentile (early career)$38,200$18.37
50th percentile (median)$45,260$21.76
75th percentile (experienced)$51,570$24.79
90th percentile (top earners)$62,190$29.90

Highest-paying states for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks pay at $51,590 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($49,660) and Hawaii ($49,660). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $38,620 — a gap of $12,970 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Washington$51,590$24.80+14%
2District of Columbia$49,660$23.88+10%
3Hawaii$49,660$23.88+10%
4Massachusetts$49,240$23.67+9%
5Vermont$49,080$23.60+8%

Workforce and education

About 817,000 people work as Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $46,810 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks make in the United States?
The median Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks salary in the United States is $45,260 per year, or about $21.76 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $34,650, while the top 10% of earners make $62,190 or more.
How does Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks median of $45,260 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks, with a median salary of $51,590 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks need?
For most positions, a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks work in the United States?
About 817,000 people were employed as Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.