Career comparison
Hand Packer vs. Shipping and Receiving Clerk
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Shipping and receiving clerks earn more at the median ($45,260 vs. $36,280), while shipping and receiving clerks usually get to work faster (1–4 weeks of training). Hand packers pack products by hand for shipping and sale. Shipping and receiving clerks track what comes in and goes out of warehouses, stores and plants.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Hand Packer | Shipping and Receiving Clerk | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $36,280 ($17.44/hr) | $45,260 ($21.76/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $27,890 – $47,100 | $34,650 – $62,190 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -5.0% (a projected decline) | -7.6% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 61,800 | 61,300 |
| Typical entry education | No formal educational credential | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | A few days on the job | 1–4 weeks |
| Key credential | Safety training | Forklift operator training |
| Work setting | Packers work in warehouses, fulfillment centers and plants.. | Clerks work in warehouses, distribution centers, plants and stores, at docks and desks. |
What each job does
Hand Packer
- Pack products
- Add packing material
- Label packages
- Check for damage
- Count items
Shipping and Receiving Clerk
- Check incoming shipments against paperwork
- Record receipts in inventory systems
- Report damages, shortages and overages
- Prepare and label outgoing shipments
- Create bills of lading and shipping documents
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work, teamwork, and in-demand. Both are part of the transportation & logistics field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose hand packer if…
- I want to start fast
- I work quickly
- I’m accurate
Choose shipping and receiving clerk if…
- I’m accurate with numbers and details
- I like organizing things
- I don’t mind physical work
Still torn? Take the Hand Packer fit quiz and the Shipping and Receiving Clerk fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, hand packer or shipping and receiving clerk?
Shipping and Receiving Clerks earn more at the median: $45,260 versus $36,280 for hand packers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Shipping and Receiving Clerks typically train faster (1–4 weeks) than hand packers (A few days on the job).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects hand packers to grow -5.0% from 2025–35, compared with -7.6% for shipping and receiving clerks.