Find Trade Colleges
What You Need to Know About Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk
Career Description Verify and maintain records on incoming and outgoing shipments. Prepare items for shipment. Duties include assembling, addressing, stamping, and shipping merchandise or material; receiving, unpacking, verifying and recording incoming merchandise or material; and arranging for the transportation of products.
Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk Responsibilities
- Compute amounts, such as space available, shipping, storage, or demurrage charges, using computer or price list.
- Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
- Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials.
- Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
- Confer or correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, or nonconformance to specifications.
- Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped.
Featured schools near , edit
What a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk Should Know
Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Inbound Ingredient Logistics Specialist
- Shipping Checker
- Switching Clerk
- Shipping Lead Person
- Warehouse Supervisor
Are There Job Opportunities for Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks?
In the United States, there were 681,400 jobs for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk. There will be an estimated 67,200 positions for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk per year.
The states with the most job growth for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk are Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, New Mexico, or Delaware. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk ranges between $22,900 and $50,380.
Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks who work in District of Columbia, Alaska, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $32,930 |
| Alaska | $43,540 |
| Arizona | $34,230 |
| Arkansas | $33,090 |
| California | $36,320 |
| Colorado | $34,990 |
| Connecticut | $37,900 |
| Delaware | $31,330 |
| District of Columbia | $49,550 |
| Florida | $32,660 |
| Georgia | $33,830 |
| Hawaii | $39,160 |
| Idaho | $33,700 |
| Illinois | $35,950 |
| Indiana | $33,480 |
| Iowa | $35,980 |
| Kansas | $33,960 |
| Kentucky | $34,870 |
| Louisiana | $33,660 |
| Maine | $34,590 |
| Maryland | $36,420 |
| Massachusetts | $39,840 |
| Michigan | $35,110 |
| Minnesota | $37,500 |
| Mississippi | $30,130 |
| Missouri | $34,700 |
| Montana | $33,920 |
| Nebraska | $34,740 |
| Nevada | $35,720 |
| New Hampshire | $34,280 |
| New Jersey | $36,480 |
| New Mexico | $32,360 |
| New York | $37,480 |
| North Carolina | $32,930 |
| North Dakota | $35,870 |
| Ohio | $34,020 |
| Oklahoma | $33,790 |
| Oregon | $36,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,670 |
| Rhode Island | $38,000 |
| South Carolina | $34,240 |
| South Dakota | $33,140 |
| Tennessee | $32,530 |
| Texas | $32,750 |
| Utah | $32,250 |
| Vermont | $34,320 |
| Virginia | $35,070 |
| Washington | $40,120 |
| West Virginia | $36,030 |
| Wisconsin | $36,840 |
| Wyoming | $34,770 |
What Tools & Technology do Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- SAP
- IBM Notes
- FileMaker Pro
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
- Inventory tracking software
- Microsoft Dynamics GP
- Sage 50 Accounting
- Citrix
- Warehouse management system WMS
- Aestiva Purchase Order
- Bill of lading software
- Exact MAX
- ADi SmartBOL
- DM2 Bills of Lading Software
- FedEx Ship Manager
How do I Become a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk?
What education is needed to be a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk?
Where Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Career changers with experience as a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.