Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks Salary
The median pay for a shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks in Iowa is $47,590/year ($22.88/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $53,556 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Iowa?
About shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
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What this looks like in Iowa
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $49K | +2% | 280 |
| Sioux City | $48K | +1% | 460 |
| Ames | $48K | +1% | 210 |
| Cedar Rapids | $48K | +0% | 630 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $47K | -1% | 1,400 |
| Iowa City | $47K | -1% | 320 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $47K | -1% | 330 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $46K | -3% | 860 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a shipping, receiving, and inventory clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 33.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,159/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is shipping, receiving, and inventory clerk a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks?
Iowa pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks make in Iowa?
The median is $47,590 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,990, and experienced shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks can clear $62,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,166/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 33.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks salary is worth about $53,556 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.