Order Clerks
What Order Clerks Do
Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Generally receives orders via mail, phone, fax, or other electronic means. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 5.5%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.4/5
- Production and Processingimportance 4.2/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 4.0/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.9/5
- English Languageimportance 3.8/5
- Administrativeimportance 3.7/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.7/5
- Sales and Marketingimportance 3.6/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled5.0/5
- E-Mail4.8/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
- Telephone Conversations4.5/5
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.4/5
- Contact With Others4.3/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Real Estate Sales Agents97% skill match
- Waiters and Waitresses96% skill match
- Receptionists and Information Clerks96% skill match
- Real Estate Brokers96% skill match
- File Clerks95% skill match
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators95% skill match
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants95% skill match
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance95% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Service Orientationimportance 3.5/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Persuasionimportance 3.0/5
- Negotiationimportance 2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.9/5
- Time Managementimportance 2.9/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
In-Demand Technologies
- Order management software
Other Software Used
- Automated manifest system software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Email software
- IBM Sterling Configure, Price, Quote
- Inventory management systems
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Microsoft System Center
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Integrity
- Social Orientation
- Cautiousness
- Self-Control
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- ConventionalHigh
- EnterprisingMedium
- RealisticLow
- SocialLow
- InvestigativeLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where order clerks make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Oklahoma City, OK5.25× national avg
- 2Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA2.26× national avg
- 3Dalton, GA2.23× national avg
- 4Elkhart-Goshen, IN2.18× national avg
- 5Williamsport, PA2.12× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Cargo and Freight AgentsLateral Move
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceLateral Move
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsAdvancement
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksLateral Move
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
General Office Occupations and Clerical Services
- Sinclair Community College (Dayton, OH)grads earn ~$25,759
- Rio Salado College (Tempe, AZ)grads earn ~$50,135
- Central Georgia Technical College (Warner Robins, GA)grads earn ~$27,327
- Central Louisiana Technical Community College (Alexandria, LA)grads earn ~$19,082
- Pueblo Community College (Pueblo, CO)