Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
SOC Code: 43-5071
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks carries a 60% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $43,190 and -7.7% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 862,200 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 60% AI exposure, Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks sits 23 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 94% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
12/100
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage F $43,190
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -7.7%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 60% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry on a declining BLS line
Typical entry is HS / some college (333/832) while growth is Declining (111/832). This is the crowded high-risk corner of the map - automation and headcount pressure compound without a degree moat.
Where Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
60% Higher than most higher than 94% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks's High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 43-5071) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks. Public companies with meaningful exposure to this occupation, such as Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and Price T Rowe Group Inc, inherit a share of the same automation risk through their industry classification. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Examine shipment contents and compare with records, such as manifests, invoices, or orders, to verify accuracy.
- 2. Requisition and store shipping materials and supplies to maintain inventory of stock.
- 3. Prepare documents, such as work orders, bills of lading, or shipping orders, to route materials.
- 4. Pack, seal, label, or affix postage to prepare materials for shipping, using hand tools, power tools, or postage meter.
- 5. Record shipment data, such as weight, charges, space availability, damages, or discrepancies, for reporting, accounting, or recordkeeping purposes.
- 6. Confer or correspond with establishment representatives to rectify problems, such as damages, shortages, or nonconformance to specifications.
- 7. Deliver or route materials to departments using handtruck, conveyor, or sorting bins.
- 8. Contact carrier representatives to make arrangements or to issue instructions for shipping and delivery of materials.
- 9. Determine shipping methods, routes, or rates for materials to be shipped.
- 10. Compute amounts, such as space available, shipping, storage, or demurrage charges, using computer or price list.
Key Skills Required
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Time Management
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
Knowledge Areas
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks?
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks has an AI exposure score of 60%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks is projected to decline by 7.7% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 862,200 workers.
What skills are needed for Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks?
Key skills for Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks include Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks earn?
The median annual wage for Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks is $43,190, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks?
The typical entry-level education for Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks?
Public companies with significant Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks workforce shares include Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Price T Rowe Group Inc, Popular, Inc., among others. These employers are mapped by industry classification (SIC/NAICS) to BLS occupation-industry employment distributions. See the full employer rankings for AI displacement risk grades.
Employers with High AI Exposure in This Occupation Group
Public companies whose industry occupation mix includes a significant share of Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks roles.
| Company | AI Grade | Risk Score |
|---|---|---|
| Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. | D | 50.5% |
| Price T Rowe Group Inc | D | 50.5% |
| Popular, Inc. | D | 50.5% |
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc | D | 50.5% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co | D | 50.5% |
| Bank Of America Corp /De/ | D | 50.5% |
| Hsbc Holdings PLC | D | 50.5% |
| Unitedhealth Group Inc | D | 50.5% |
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A majority of tasks in this occupation are susceptible to AI automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (60% here).
- Cargo and freight agents · AI exposure 60%
- Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks · AI exposure 60%
- Data entry keyers · AI exposure 60%
- Eligibility interviewers, government programs · AI exposure 60%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-7.7% here).
- Correctional officers and jailers · growth -7.8%
- Office and administrative support workers, all other · growth -7.8%
- Printing press operators · growth -8.1%
- Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping · growth -7.1%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 24 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).