What Does it Take to Be an Order Clerk?
Job Description & Duties 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.
What Do Order Clerks Do On a Daily Basis?
- Attempt to sell additional merchandise or services to prospective or current customers by telephone or through visits.
- Inform customers by mail or telephone of order information, such as unit prices, shipping dates, and any anticipated delays.
- Confer with production, sales, shipping, warehouse, or common carrier personnel to expedite or trace shipments.
- Obtain customers' names, addresses, and billing information, product numbers, and specifications of items to be purchased, and enter this information on order forms.
- Direct specified departments or units to prepare and ship orders to designated locations.
- Prepare invoices, shipping documents, and contracts.
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Order Clerk Needed Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Order Clerks say are important on the job.
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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles
- Catalogue Clerk
- Routing Clerk
- Classified Ad Taker
- Contact Worker
- Order Processor
Is There Job Demand for Order Clerks?
In the United States, there were 179,000 jobs for Order Clerk in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Order Clerk. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 19,400 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Order Clerk are Utah, Nevada, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Delaware, Maine, or New Mexico. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Order Clerks Make A Lot Of Money?
The salary for Order Clerks ranges between about $22,280 and $53,240 a year.

Order Clerks who work in Washington, Connecticut, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Order Clerks in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $30,900 |
Alaska | $33,140 |
Arizona | $32,560 |
Arkansas | $32,070 |
California | $38,160 |
Colorado | $37,550 |
Connecticut | $39,670 |
Delaware | $35,220 |
District of Columbia | $38,140 |
Florida | $33,710 |
Georgia | $34,410 |
Hawaii | $36,550 |
Idaho | $37,230 |
Illinois | $35,360 |
Iowa | $36,060 |
Kansas | $32,030 |
Kentucky | $29,040 |
Louisiana | $29,610 |
Maine | $30,990 |
Maryland | $34,770 |
Massachusetts | $39,380 |
Michigan | $32,770 |
Minnesota | $34,820 |
Mississippi | $32,150 |
Missouri | $34,510 |
Montana | $28,700 |
Nebraska | $31,090 |
Nevada | $36,100 |
New Hampshire | $36,210 |
New Jersey | $37,950 |
New Mexico | $32,740 |
New York | $34,490 |
North Carolina | $33,760 |
North Dakota | $36,900 |
Ohio | $33,560 |
Oklahoma | $31,070 |
Oregon | $35,980 |
Pennsylvania | $32,670 |
Rhode Island | $37,580 |
South Carolina | $34,910 |
South Dakota | $33,380 |
Tennessee | $33,540 |
Texas | $36,320 |
Utah | $31,520 |
Vermont | $37,560 |
Virginia | $34,800 |
Washington | $44,980 |
West Virginia | $30,030 |
Wisconsin | $35,840 |
Wyoming | $39,960 |
What Tools do Order Clerks Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Order Clerks:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- Email software
- SAP
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
How to Become an Order Clerk
What education or degrees do I need to become an Order Clerk?

What work experience do I need to become an Order Clerk?

Where Order Clerks Work

Below are examples of industries where Order Clerks work:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
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