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The differences between shipping clerks and receiving clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a shipping clerk and a receiving clerk. Additionally, a shipping clerk has an average salary of $31,858, which is higher than the $31,482 average annual salary of a receiving clerk.
The top three skills for a shipping clerk include customer service, shipping receiving and data entry. The most important skills for a receiving clerk are customer service, purchase orders, and data entry.
| Shipping Clerk | Receiving Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $31,858 | $31,482 |
| Hourly rate | $15.32 | $15.14 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 205,150 | 237,705 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
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.
Shipping clerks and receiving clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Shipping Clerk | Receiving Clerk | |
| Average salary | $31,858 | $31,482 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tualatin, OR | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | BD | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a shipping clerk and a receiving clerk in terms of educational background:
| Shipping Clerk | Receiving Clerk | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between shipping clerks' and receiving clerks' demographics:
| Shipping Clerk | Receiving Clerk | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.0% Female, 41.0% | Male, 60.2% Female, 39.8% |
| 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, 11.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |