What You Need to Know About Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk
Job Description & Duties 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.
Life As a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk
- Compute amounts, such as space available, shipping, storage, or demurrage charges, using computer or price list.
- Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
- Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials.
- Pack, seal, label, or affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using hand tools, power tools, or postage meter.
- Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
- Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped.
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Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks say are important on the job.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Types of Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk Jobs
- Shipping Lead Person
- Shipping and Receiving Supervisor
- Sorter Pricer
- Logistics Technician
- Sorter
Job Opportunities for Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 681,400 jobs in the United States for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk. The BLS estimates 67,200 yearly job openings in this field.

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 Salary
The salary for Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks ranges between about $22,900 and $50,380 a year.

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?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks may use on a daily basis:
- 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
- Exact MAX
- Aestiva Purchase Order
- Bill of lading software
- DM2 Bills of Lading Software
- Electronic Data Interchange EDI systems
- ADi SmartBOL
How do I Become a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk?
Education needed to be a Shipping, Receiving, or Traffic Clerk:

What work experience do I need 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.

Similar Careers
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.
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