Order clerks
Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Generally receives orders via mail, phone, fax, or other electronic means. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.
Order clerks receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Generally receives orders via mail, phone, fax, or other electronic means. The role reports a median annual salary of $44,660 in the US and is projected to decline by 17% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a Some college, no degree, and shows high AI exposure (0.82 on a 0-1 scale) — significant portions of core tasks are already being automated. The most in-demand skills for the role include safety regulations for warehouses, types of packaging used in industrial shipments, weigh shipments, operate warehouse record systems, check shipments.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £28,294 a year for Other administrative occupations n.e.c. (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £24,636 to £34,741 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 4159). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Clerical support workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Order clerks, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 4. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Production and Processing
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- Sales and Marketing
What you'd actually do
- Review orders for completeness according to reporting procedures and forward incomplete orders for further processing.
- Obtain customers' names, addresses, and billing information, product numbers, and specifications of items to be purchased, and enter this information on order forms.
- Recommend merchandise or services that will meet customers' needs.
- Inspect outgoing work for compliance with customers' specifications.
- Receive and respond to customer complaints.
- Check inventory records to determine availability of requested merchandise.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Order clerks do?
Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Generally receives orders via mail, phone, fax, or other electronic means. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.
How much does Order clerks earn?
The median annual salary for Order clerks in the US is $44,660.
What is the job outlook for Order clerks?
The role is projected to decline by 17% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 89,500 workers.
How do I become order clerks?
The typical entry education is a Some college, no degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Order clerks need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include safety regulations for warehouses, types of packaging used in industrial shipments, weigh shipments, operate warehouse record systems, check shipments, maintain physical condition of warehouse. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Order clerks?
Our AI-durability model gives Order clerks a score of 0.82 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at high AI risk — many core tasks are already being automated by generative AI and workflow tools. Focus on AI-adjacent skills or plan a pivot to an AI-durable adjacent role.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Order clerks has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.