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Order clerk: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$46,170median pay per year, or $22.20 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,530lowest 10% earn less
  2. $39,66025th percentile
  3. $46,170median
  4. $54,31075th percentile
  5. $63,530top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Order clerks earned a median of $46,170 a year in May 2025, below the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to fall 17.5% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-17.5%[3]
Openings per year
6,300[5]
Typical entry education
Some college, no degree[6]

How much do order clerks make?

The BLS category is Order Clerks. O*NET workers also report titles such as materials specialist and order entry representative[7]. The median wage was $46,170 a year, or $22.20 an hour[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The average was $48,220 a year, or $23.19 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[2].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,530 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $63,530[4]. The lowest-paid 25% earned less than $39,660, and the highest-paid 25% earned more than $54,310[4].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][9] $35,530 $17.08
25th[4][9] $39,660 $19.07
Median[1] $46,170 $22.20
75th[4][9] $54,310 $26.11
90th[4][9] $63,530 $30.54

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. About 75,200 people held these wage and salary jobs in May 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

Median pay is published for 47 states and DC[13]. Massachusetts was first at $55,040, followed by Oregon at $50,260 and Vermont at $49,950[13]. Louisiana was last at $37,520[13].

California had the most order clerk jobs with 12,390, then Texas with 5,180 and Washington with 4,300[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $58,170, followed by Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $55,090[15]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA had the most jobs at 5,740, with a median of $46,590[16].

Show median pay in 47 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Massachusetts[13]$55,0401,350
Oregon$50,260790
Vermont$49,950n/a
Colorado$49,5301,970
Rhode Island$49,410170
District of Columbia$49,150170
Alabama$48,84080
Arizona$48,590760
New Hampshire$48,540390
Minnesota$48,4001,150
New York$48,3203,530
South Dakota$48,010330
Washington$47,9904,300
Maine$47,750300
Wisconsin$47,7501,540
Maryland$47,700850
Illinois$47,6703,540
Connecticut$47,500710
California$47,29012,390
Pennsylvania$46,8402,570
Hawaii$46,760210
New Jersey$46,2702,640
Ohio$46,1203,810
North Carolina$46,0602,990
Oklahoma$45,8502,210
West Virginia$45,320100
Kansas$45,200310
Iowa$44,980680
Florida$44,3803,270
Indiana$44,3401,800
Texas$44,2805,180
Michigan$44,2402,290
Nebraska$44,060440
Mississippi$43,040470
Virginia$42,5801,690
Montana$42,00060
Arkansas$41,760290
South Carolina$41,740740
Georgia$41,7201,750
Delaware$41,430170
New Mexico$41,020310
Kentucky$40,620930
Nevada$40,560740
Utah$40,260880
Idaho$40,11090
Tennessee$39,1602,260
Alaska$37,59070
Louisiana$37,520660

How to become an order clerk

BLS Employment Projections describe the typical path this way:

The details below come from a BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile that covers a wider group of occupations than this one[17]. It says these clerks typically need a high school diploma and learn their skills on the job[18]. Training usually lasts a few weeks and covers clerical procedures and computer applications[19]. The profile adds that courses in word processing and spreadsheets are particularly helpful[20].

In an O*NET survey of 16 workers, 63% said a high school diploma or equivalent was required, 24% said a post-secondary certificate, and 12% said a bachelor's degree[21]. The facts do not list a license.

What order clerks do

Order clerks take in and handle incoming orders for goods, printed ads or services such as repairs and rentals. Orders can come in by mail, phone, fax or other electronic means[22]. Common tasks include:

Where they work

The OOH profile for the wider group says information clerks work in nearly every industry, and most work in offices[24]. Customer service work can be stressful when customers are unhappy[25]. Most work full time[26]. Traveler accommodation was the largest employer of the wider group at 19%[27].

Job outlook

BLS projects order clerk employment to fall 17.5% from 2025 to 2035[3]. That is from about 78,900 to 65,100 jobs, a loss of about 13,800[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[28]. BLS names automated order-taking systems as a factor in the decline[29].

Even so, about 6,300 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 4.4% of workers leave the labor force and 6.2% move to a different occupation[30]. Only 4.8% of order clerks were self-employed in 2025[31].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay below the all-occupations median and a wide spread between the lowest and highest earners[1][2][4]. Entry needs little formal education, and training is short-term[6]. The outlook is the main caution, since employment is projected to fall while all occupations grow[3][28]. Openings still come up each year as workers leave or switch jobs[5][30].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[32].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an order clerk make an hour?
The median was $22.20 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $23.19[1][8].
What education do you need to be an order clerk?
BLS projections list some college with no degree[6]. The wider OOH profile says a high school diploma is typical[18].
How long does it take to learn order clerk work?
The wider OOH profile says training usually lasts a few weeks[19].
Is order clerk work in demand?
Employment is projected to fall 17.5% from 2025 to 2035, though about 6,300 openings a year are expected[3][5].
What is the highest paying state for order clerks?
Massachusetts, at a median of $55,040, is first among the 47 states and DC with published data[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Order Clerks in the US was $46,170 per year and $22.20 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Order Clerks is projected to decline 17.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 78,900 to 65,100 jobs (a change of -13,800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Order Clerks: 10th percentile $35,530, 25th percentile $39,660, 75th percentile $54,310, 90th percentile $63,530. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 6,300 openings for Order Clerks are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Order Clerks: education needed for entry: Some college, no degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. O*NET 43-4151.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Hub Associate, Materials Specialist, Order Analyst, Order Clerk, Order Entry Administrator (Order Entry Admin), Order Entry Representative (Order Entry Rep), Order Processing Clerk, Order Taker. O*NET OnLine
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Order Clerks was $48,220 per year and $23.19 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Order Clerks: 10th percentile $17.08, 25th percentile $19.07, 75th percentile $26.11, 90th percentile $30.54. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 75,200 people were employed as Order Clerks in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Order Clerks in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Order Clerks jobs: California 12,390; Texas 5,180; Washington 4,300; Ohio 3,810; Illinois 3,540. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Order Clerks (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $58,170; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $55,090; Trenton-Princeton, NJ $53,290; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $52,540; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $51,450; Akron, OH $51,060; Bakersfield-Delano, CA $50,530; Boulder, CO $49,970. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Order Clerks jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,740 (median $46,590); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 4,120 (median $47,820); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,970 (median $47,890); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,890 (median $45,590); Oklahoma City, OK 1,720 (median $45,850); Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 1,320 (median $49,840). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Information Clerks" covers Order Clerks together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET 43-4151.00 survey of workers (16 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 63%, Post-Secondary Certificate 24%, Bachelor's Degree 12% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET description of Order Clerks. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Order Clerks. O*NET OnLine
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of information clerks in 2025: Traveler accommodation 19%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Order Clerks: Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as establishments continue to adopt automated order-taking systems. BLS Employment Projections
  30. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Order Clerks: 4.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.2% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections: 4.8% of Order Clerks were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.