Prevailing Wage for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Prevailing wage for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (SOC 43-5071) is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. Whether your title is Receiving Coordinator, Order Fulfillment Specialist, or Materials Control Associate, DOL assigns one of four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts substantially depending on which U.S. city the worksite is in.
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Entry-level clerks with limited experience in shipping, receiving, or inventory tasks. Typically performing routine duties under close supervision, following established procedures, with no expectation of independent judgment or specialized system knowledge.
Qualified clerks with moderate experience handling inbound and outbound shipments with general supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation, covering workers who operate warehouse management systems and resolve routine discrepancies independently.
Experienced clerks who handle complex inventory reconciliation, coordinate with carriers or customs, and may informally guide junior staff. These workers apply specialized knowledge of logistics software or compliance documentation with minimal oversight.
Fully competent senior clerks or lead receivers who set procedures, oversee accuracy standards, and may manage a team or shift. These positions carry accountability for inventory integrity across a facility or distribution network.
Prevailing Wage for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Watch for title aliasing across SOC codes
Titles like Logistics Coordinator or Warehouse Associate sometimes get filed under different SOC codes, setting a lower prevailing wage floor than SOC 43-5071. Confirm your offer letter title maps to the Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks occupation before accepting.
Verify your worksite city before comparing wages
Seattle and San Jose area wages for this role are significantly above the national median, while Puerto Rico metros sit far below it. The worksite address on the LCA, not your employer's headquarters, determines which regional prevailing wage applies.
Understand what counts toward the wage floor
For Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks, the prevailing wage must be met through base pay alone. Shift differentials, production bonuses, and signing bonuses amortized over the visa period generally cannot be used to satisfy the DOL floor.
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Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks positions, so you can focus on companies with an established track record rather than approaching those with no sponsored filings in this occupation.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 43-5071.00 alongside Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Materials Control Associate Prevailing Wage
Materials Control Associate Prevailing Wage
Materials Control Associate positions fall under SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Order Fulfillment Specialist Prevailing Wage
Order Fulfillment Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Order Fulfillment Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Receiver Prevailing Wage
Receiver Prevailing Wage
Receiver is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Receiving Associate Prevailing Wage
Receiving Associate Prevailing Wage
Receiving Associate positions fall under SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Receiving Clerk Prevailing Wage
Receiving Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Receiving Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Receiving Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Receiving Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Receiving Coordinator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Shipper Prevailing Wage
Shipper Prevailing Wage
Shipper positions fall under SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Shipping Clerk Prevailing Wage
Shipping Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Shipping Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Shipping Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Shipping Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Shipping Coordinator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Traffic Assistant Prevailing Wage
Traffic Assistant Prevailing Wage
Traffic Assistant positions fall under SOC 43-5071.00 (Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the DOL set the prevailing wage for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan areas. For SOC 43-5071, it calculates four wage levels based on percentile cutoffs within each region. Employers sponsoring a worker in this occupation must pay at least the level that matches the position's actual duties and supervision level, as certified through the OFLC Labor Condition Application process.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect experience and autonomy: Level 1 is entry-level under close supervision, Level 2 covers qualified workers performing standard duties independently, Level 3 applies to experienced workers handling complex tasks or guiding others, and Level 4 covers fully competent senior or lead roles. Review the job description against these definitions and compare it to how your employer characterized the role on the LCA filing. If the duties described match a higher level, the employer should be filing at that level.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much from city to city?
DOL publishes separate wage surveys for each metropolitan statistical area using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. Labor costs, cost of living, and employer concentration differ significantly across regions. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, and the prevailing wage tied to that specific metro applies regardless of where the employer is headquartered. A Receiving Coordinator position in Seattle commands a substantially higher floor than the same role filed for a worksite in a lower-wage metro.
What happens if a sponsored job offer falls below the prevailing wage?
An employer cannot certify a compliant LCA if the offered wage is below the applicable prevailing wage level. OFLC will not approve the LCA, which means the H-1B or other visa petition cannot move forward. If you discover the offered salary is below the floor after an LCA has been filed, the employer must either increase the wage to meet compliance or the petition may be subject to an USCIS Request for Evidence or denial.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for this occupation in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 43-5071 in any metropolitan area. Select the occupation code, choose your target metro, and the tool returns all four wage levels. Cross-reference with the O*NET profile to confirm the job duties align with this SOC. Migrate Mate also lets you filter sponsored job postings by role and location, helping you identify which employers have actively sponsored positions in this occupation across different metros.
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