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The differences between receiving clerks and inventory clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an inventory clerk has an average salary of $32,666, which is higher than the $31,482 average annual salary of a receiving clerk.
The top three skills for a receiving clerk include customer service, purchase orders and data entry. The most important skills for an inventory clerk are customer service, data entry, and inventory control.
| Receiving Clerk | Inventory Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $31,482 | $32,666 |
| Hourly rate | $15.14 | $15.70 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 237,705 | 204,051 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 43 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
Usually assigned at a warehouse or retail store, a receiving clerk's primary role is to accept product deliveries upon arrival and sign necessary documents, prioritizing the accuracy of all invoices. It is also the task of a receiving clerk to unload heavy packages, verify its contents, place it in the appropriate storage place, and keep records for inventory. They must process returns should it be necessary. There are also instances where a receiving clerk may have to engage with retailers and vendors, ensuring that all shipments arrive in time.
Inventory clerks or inventory control clerks manage and maintain all inventory coming in and out. They ensure that the items are stored and stocked in their proper places. They have to train less experienced clerks as well as prepare balance and shortage reports. They also need to report any stock issues, place orders when necessary, prepare a list of lacking products, and take note of unusable items. A good inventory clerk must be detail-oriented, organized, and have relevant experience in inventory control.
Receiving clerks and inventory clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Receiving Clerk | Inventory Clerk | |
| Average salary | $31,482 | $32,666 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $38,000 | Between $26,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | BD |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a receiving clerk and an inventory clerk in terms of educational background:
| Receiving Clerk | Inventory Clerk | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between receiving clerks' and inventory clerks' demographics:
| Receiving Clerk | Inventory Clerk | |
| Average age | 43 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.2% Female, 39.8% | Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |