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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerkss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerkss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Jonesboro ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $57,510/year, better purchasing power than Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue's higher nominal pay of $56,370. San Francisco and New York dominate the headline salary lists for most occupations, but they don't crack the COL-adjusted top 10 here. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2025 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue$56,370
#2 Walla Walla$55,960
#3 Kahului-Wailuku$55,950

Best purchasing power

#1 Jonesboro$57,510
#2 Lawton$57,331
#3 Walla Walla$56,801

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed shipping, receiving, and inventory clerkss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Jonesboro
25% rent burden
$49,390
$57,510
#2
Lawton
24% rent burden
$49,270
$57,331
#3
Walla Walla
33% rent burden
$55,960
$56,801
#4
Sioux City
29% rent burden
$48,270
$55,836
#5
Dubuque
27% rent burden
$48,690
$55,754
#6
Rochester
34% rent burden
$49,020
$53,975
#7
Duluth
31% rent burden
$47,890
$53,948
#8
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
27% rent burden
$46,950
$53,928
#9
Ames
29% rent burden
$47,840
$53,856
#10
Elkhart-Goshen
29% rent burden
$48,600
$53,803
#11
Cedar Rapids
24% rent burden
$47,690
$53,608
#12
Minot
26% rent burden
$46,560
$53,499
#13
Wildwood-The Villages
35% rent burden
$45,670
$53,465
#14
Grand Island
27% rent burden
$46,090
$53,185
#15
St. Joseph
28% rent burden
$45,890
$53,126
#16
Longview-Kelso
34% rent burden
$51,740
$53,039
#17
Jackson
33% rent burden
$45,320
$52,993
#18
Sheboygan
27% rent burden
$49,460
$52,611
#19
Decatur
28% rent burden
$46,360
$52,432
#20
$44,500
$52,291
#21
Lewiston-Auburn
38% rent burden
$49,530
$52,280
#22
St. Cloud
32% rent burden
$45,790
$52,254
#23
Grand Forks
29% rent burden
$45,080
$52,019
#24
$54,910
$51,993
#25
$46,260
$51,931

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerkss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $56,370 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $46,975 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerkss?

Lawton has one of the lowest rent burdens for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerkss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,001/month, with a median salary of $49,270.

Where do Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerkss get paid the most in nominal terms?

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays the highest nominal median salary at $56,370/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerkssView →How to become a shipping, receiving, and inventory clerksGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →