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Return clerk salary
Average return clerk salary
$15.29
Understanding Return Clerk Salaries
Return clerks typically earn an average of $31,808 annually, translating to about $15.29 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, return clerks in retail may earn differently compared to those in e-commerce.
Highest Paying States and Cities
Some of the highest-paying states for return clerks include California, New York, and Texas, with cities like San Francisco and New York City offering competitive salaries. In these locations, return clerks can expect to earn significantly more than the national average.
Experience Matters
Entry-level positions may yield lower salaries, while experienced return clerks can command higher wages. As you gain experience, you can expect to see salary increases, making it beneficial to pursue opportunities that allow for growth.
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Where can a Return Clerk earn more?
Return clerk salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level return clerk | $25,700 | $12.38 |
| Mid-level return clerk | $31,300 | $15.03 |
| Senior-level return clerk | $42,600 | $20.47 |
Average return clerk salary by state
The average return clerk salary in Washington, Minnesota, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average return clerk salary states are West Virginia, Indiana, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for return clerks
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $36,753 | $17.67 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $36,407 | $17.50 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $33,718 | $16.21 |
| 4 | Colorado | $35,815 | $17.22 |
| 5 | Oregon | $34,245 | $16.46 |
| 6 | New York | $36,167 | $17.39 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $33,432 | $16.07 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $33,408 | $16.06 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $35,715 | $17.17 |
| 10 | Michigan | $31,587 | $15.19 |
| 11 | Vermont | $33,049 | $15.89 |
| 12 | Ohio | $31,157 | $14.98 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $32,154 | $15.46 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $33,012 | $15.87 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $31,362 | $15.08 |
| 16 | Arkansas | $31,898 | $15.34 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $29,882 | $14.37 |
| 18 | Alaska | $31,400 | $15.10 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $33,300 | $16.01 |
| 20 | Illinois | $32,002 | $15.39 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $34,801 | $16.73 |
| 22 | Iowa | $31,606 | $15.20 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $30,768 | $14.79 |
| 24 | Missouri | $30,903 | $14.86 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $31,703 | $15.24 |
| 26 | Maryland | $33,244 | $15.98 |
| 27 | Arizona | $31,812 | $15.29 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $32,963 | $15.85 |
| 29 | Nevada | $30,929 | $14.87 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $28,631 | $13.76 |
| 31 | Texas | $29,201 | $14.04 |
| 32 | Utah | $28,928 | $13.91 |
| 33 | California | $33,042 | $15.89 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $29,245 | $14.06 |
| 35 | Kansas | $30,277 | $14.56 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $29,765 | $14.31 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $28,906 | $13.90 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $29,077 | $13.98 |
| 39 | Idaho | $28,424 | $13.67 |
| 40 | Delaware | $28,275 | $13.59 |
| 41 | Indiana | $26,973 | $12.97 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $27,922 | $13.42 |
| 43 | Georgia | $28,841 | $13.87 |
| 44 | Alabama | $28,208 | $13.56 |
| 45 | Maine | $29,212 | $14.04 |
| 46 | Virginia | $28,539 | $13.72 |
| 47 | District of Columbia | $30,286 | $14.56 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $25,260 | $12.14 |
| 49 | Florida | $26,318 | $12.65 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $26,367 | $12.68 |
| 51 | Montana | $25,890 | $12.45 |
Highest paying cities for return clerks
The highest-paying cities for return clerks are Seattle, WA, Eagan, MN, and Greece, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $36,807 | $17.70 |
| 2 | Eagan, MN | $36,408 | $17.50 |
| 3 | Greece, NY | $36,350 | $17.48 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $33,779 | $16.24 |
| 5 | Severn, MD | $33,262 | $15.99 |
| 6 | Piscataway, NJ | $33,001 | $15.87 |
| 7 | Norwich, CT | $32,191 | $15.48 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $31,903 | $15.34 |
| 9 | Kansas City, MO | $31,205 | $15.00 |
| 10 | Fort Worth, TX | $29,236 | $14.06 |
| 11 | Fayetteville, NC | $29,105 | $13.99 |
| 12 | Ogden, UT | $28,962 | $13.92 |
| 13 | Olive Branch, MS | $26,600 | $12.79 |
| 14 | Miami Gardens, FL | $26,403 | $12.69 |
Return clerk salary details
A return clerk's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a return clerk's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| Average | $31,808 | $2,651 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying return clerk jobs
The highest paying types of return clerks are inventory controller, supply technician, and inventory specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supply Technician | $36,280 | $3,023 | $17.44 | 34,106 |
| Warehouse Worker | $33,010 | $2,751 | $15.87 | 255,502 |
| Quality Control Clerk | $31,279 | $2,607 | $15.04 | 145,908 |
| Inventory Controller | $36,911 | $3,076 | $17.75 | 140,496 |
| Logistics Clerk | $33,083 | $2,757 | $15.91 | 102,800 |
| Shipping Clerk | $31,858 | $2,655 | $15.32 | 205,150 |
Top companies hiring return clerks now:
Which companies pay return clerks the most?
Return clerk salaries at Gordon Food Service and Fresenius Medical Care North America Holdings Limited Partnership are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average return clerk salary at companies like SHI International and Dotdash are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gordon Food Service | $36,099 | $17.36 |
| 2 | Fresenius Medical Care North America Holdings Limited Partnership | $35,752 | $17.19 |
| 3 | SHI International | $34,487 | $16.58 |
| 4 | Dotdash | $33,493 | $16.10 |
| 5 | Eagan Insurance Agency | $33,076 | $15.90 |
| 6 | El Dorado Furniture | $33,004 | $15.87 |
| 7 | US Foods | $32,973 | $15.85 |
| 8 | Control Air | $32,862 | $15.80 |
| 9 | IBC Bank | $32,497 | $15.62 |
| 10 | Nielsen Holdings | $32,294 | $15.53 |
| 11 | Ookla | $32,294 | $15.53 |
| 12 | Fresenius Medical Care Windsor, LLC | $32,294 | $15.53 |
| 13 | Genuine Parts | $32,035 | $15.40 |
| 14 | DXP Enterprises | $32,000 | $15.38 |
| 15 | Kuehne+Nagel | $31,880 | $15.33 |
| 16 | Empire Distributors | $31,719 | $15.25 |
| 17 | Kelly Services | $31,566 | $15.18 |
| 18 | City of Eagan | $31,539 | $15.16 |
| 19 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $31,397 | $15.09 |
| 20 | J.B. Hunt Transport Services | $31,289 | $15.04 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Return Clerk salary by industry
The average return clerk salary varies across industries:
- The average return clerk salary in the automotive industry is $33,568, the highest of any industry.
- The average return clerk salary in the finance industry is $33,369.
- Return clerks in the retail industry earn an average salary of $31,592, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for return clerks
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $33,568 | $16.14 |
| 2 | Transportation | $33,369 | $16.04 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $32,554 | $15.65 |
| 4 | Technology | $32,210 | $15.49 |
| 5 | Retail | $31,592 | $15.19 |
High paying return clerk jobs
Return clerk salary trends
The average return clerk salary has risen by $5,836 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average return clerk earned $25,972 annually, but today, they earn $31,808 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for return clerks over the last decade.
Compare return clerk salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average return clerk salary over time
Compare return clerk salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Return clerk salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,800 | $15.29 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $30,800 | $14.83 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $29,800 | $14.33 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $28,700 | $13.80 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $28,100 | $13.52 | +2.3% |
Recently added return clerk salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Food Service | Credit Return Clerk | Kenosha, WI | 06/27/2025 | $44,933 |
| Partners Personnel Management | Warehouse Returns Clerk | Solon, OH | 06/27/2025 | $35,479 |
| NRI Distribution | Returns Clerk | Los Angeles, CA | 06/24/2025 | $37,044 |
| Imperial Dade | Returns Clerk | Jersey City, NJ | 06/24/2025 | $45,914 |
| BJ's Wholesale Club | Return To Vendor Clerk | Carmel, IN | 06/12/2025 | $33,914 |
| Maui Jim Inc. | Returns Clerk | Peoria, IL | 05/25/2025 | $35,479 |
| Gordon Food Service | Driver Credit Return Clerk | Lithia Springs, GA | 04/29/2025 | $40,801 |
| Gordon Food Service | Credit Returns Clerk | Aberdeen, MD | 03/30/2025 | $42,846 |
| Kuehne & Nagel Logistics, Inc. | Returns Clerk-1St. Shift | Lewisville, TX | 03/28/2025 | $32,349 |
| Imperial Dade | Returns Clerk | Jersey City, NJ | 03/27/2025 | $39,653 |
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