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Hourly Wage for Distribution Clerk Salary in the United States

How much does a Distribution Clerk make hourly?

As of September 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Distribution Clerk in the United States is $20, which translates to an annual salary of about $40,897.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $25 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $18 to $22 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $16 per hour

Key Factors That Influence Distribution Clerk Salaries

A Distribution Clerk's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Distribution Clerk Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Distribution Clerk's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Distribution Clerk (1-3 years): $40,897
  • Distribution Clerk, Sr. (3-5 years): $45,790
  • Distribution Manager (5+ years): $89,191
  • Distribution Senior Manager (5+ years): $129,600
  • Distribution Director (5+ years): $183,234
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Distribution Clerk1-3 years$40,897
Distribution Clerk, Sr.3-5 years$45,790
Distribution Manager5+ years$89,191
Distribution Senior Manager5+ years$129,600
Distribution Director5+ years$183,234

Top Paying Cities for Distribution Clerks

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $51,583
  • San Francisco: $51,019
  • Oakland: $49,943

What Skills Can Increase a Distribution Clerk's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 10.99% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Order Picking (Mentioned in 2.06% Job Postings): Order picking is the process of collecting items from a warehouse to complete customer orders. Order picking is when the products listed in an order are retrieved from their respective warehouses.
  • Container (Mentioned in 1.75% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 10.99%
Order Picking 2.06%
Container 1.75%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Distribution Clerk's salary.

  • Influencing: Can increase your salary by up to 24%.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Influencing $50,712
24%
Analysis $47,032
15%
Coaching $45,805
12%

Distribution Clerk Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Distribution Clerk salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $45,704. While startup companies pay approximate $38,661.

Distribution Clerk Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $38,661
Growth Stage 51~500 $40,888
Established 501~5000 $44,133
Enterprise 5000+ $45,704

Distribution Clerk Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Distribution Clerk roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Distribution Clerk positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Distribution Clerk as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Distribution Clerk

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$44,987$22.010%
Biotechnology$44,987$22.010%
Business Services$44,987$22.010%
Chemicals$44,987$22.010%
Construction$44,987$22.010%

How Education impacts a Distribution Clerk's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Distribution Clerk enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Distribution Clerk with a Bachelor's Degree is between $39,724 and $40,511.

Distribution Clerk Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Distribution Clerk
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 16.7%
High School 50.0%
Associates 16.7%
Bachelors 16.7%
Masters 16.7%
Doctorate 0.0%

Distribution Clerk Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Distribution Clerk's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$36,880
Average $40,897/year
$46,412
$3,073
Average $3,408/month
$3,868
$709
Average $786/week
$893
$18
Average $20/hour
$22
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $46,412 $3,868 $893 $22
Average $40,897 $3,408 $786 $20
25th Percentile $36,880 $3,073 $709 $18

Most common benefits for Distribution Clerk

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Distribution Clerk

Here are companies hiring for Distribution Clerk and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Distribution Clerk

1. What are the responsibilities of Distribution Clerk?

Performs a variety of clerical, customer service, and administrative duties to support operations of a distribution center. Monitors inventory levels to ensure sufficient levels are available to fulfill all orders. Ensures that all required paperwork, including labels, packing lists, and transport instructions, is prepared. Utilizes tracking systems to input or look up information. Complies with all OSHA and other regulations, policies, safety procedures, and documentation requirements. Typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent. Typically reports to a supervisor. Works under moderate supervision. Gaining or has attained full proficiency in a specific area of discipline. Typically requires 1-3 years of related experience.

2. What are the skills of Distribution Clerk

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Customer Service: Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.

2.)

Order Picking: Order picking is the process of collecting items from a warehouse to complete customer orders. Order picking is when the products listed in an order are retrieved from their respective warehouses.

3.)

Container: Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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