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The differences between shipping specialists and shipping 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 specialist and a shipping clerk. Additionally, a shipping specialist has an average salary of $33,465, which is higher than the $31,858 average annual salary of a shipping clerk.
The top three skills for a shipping specialist include logistics, shipping receiving and pallet jack. The most important skills for a shipping clerk are customer service, shipping receiving, and data entry.
| Shipping Specialist | Shipping Clerk | |
| Yearly salary | $33,465 | $31,858 |
| Hourly rate | $16.09 | $15.32 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 181,523 | 205,150 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A shipping specialist is a person who packages, manifests, and tracks all the items requested by the customers - external and internal. They keep strict item handling practices as per the recommended business practices and accurately update the needed tracking systems such as external data sources, spreadsheets, and modules. Besides filing and maintaining shipping document records as per the departmental guidelines, shipping specialists also make it easy to trace shipments by creating or printing identifying labels. Moreover, shipping specialists maintain excellent customer relationships and give timely updates relating to shipments to origin and destination.
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.
Shipping specialists and shipping clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Shipping Specialist | Shipping Clerk | |
| Average salary | $33,465 | $31,858 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $42,000 | Between $25,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Puyallup, WA | Tualatin, OR |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | BD |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a shipping specialist and a shipping clerk in terms of educational background:
| Shipping Specialist | Shipping Clerk | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between shipping specialists' and shipping clerks' demographics:
| Shipping Specialist | Shipping Clerk | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.7% Female, 32.3% | Male, 59.0% Female, 41.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 7.4% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |