Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between shipping clerks and clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a shipping clerk, becoming a clerk takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a shipping clerk has an average salary of $31,858, which is higher than the $31,163 average annual salary of a clerk.
The top three skills for a shipping clerk include customer service, shipping receiving and data entry. The most important skills for a clerk are basic math, math, and data entry.
| Shipping Clerk | Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $31,858 | $31,163 |
| Hourly rate | $15.32 | $14.98 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 205,150 | 80,311 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A Shipping Clerk is responsible for managing shipment procedures and handling the tasks of receiving, preparing, and approving them for delivery. Among the duties of a Shipping Clerk also involves processing orders and ensuring all details are accurate, producing the necessary labels and receipts, weighing and examining packages, and organizing schedules of deliveries and pick-ups. Furthermore, a Shipping Clerk must also observe procedures, coordinate with every personnel involved, communicate with clients, and maintain an accurate inventory record at all times.
Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies. Clerks should have good office skills, communication skills, business writing skills, and time management skills. They should also be able to treat any document or paperwork they handle with confidentiality.
Shipping clerks and clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Shipping Clerk | Clerk | |
| Average salary | $31,858 | $31,163 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tualatin, OR | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | BD | University of Massachusetts Boston |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a shipping clerk and a clerk in terms of educational background:
| Shipping Clerk | Clerk | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between shipping clerks' and clerks' demographics:
| Shipping Clerk | Clerk | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.0% Female, 41.0% | Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 7.7% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |