The median pay for Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks is $59,650 a year ($28.68/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 1.3% through 2035, with about 32,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-5061
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerk in four numbers
- Median pay
- $59,650a year, or $28.68/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $40KTop 10% $86K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -1.3%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−1.3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −1.3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 32,600392,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025392.1K
- Projected 2035387.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 392.1K Projected 2035 387.1K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school19.5%
- High school36.8%
- Certificate9.4%
- Some college21.2%
- Associate's13.2%
Highest education held by production, planning, and expediting clerks Segment Value Less than high school 19.5% High school 36.8% Certificate 9.4% Some college 21.2% Associate's 13.2%
Also advertised as: Expeditor, Inventory Control Specialist, Material Requirements Planner (MRP), Materials Coordinator, Materials Planner, Production Assistant.
Pay
How much do production make?
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks earn a median of $59,650 a year ($28.68 an hour, or about $4,970 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $40,080 and the top 10% more than $86,000 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Washington, with a median of $77,190. See Production, planning, and expediting clerk salary in Washington and every other state. By city, pay is highest around Idaho Falls ($90,150 average): salary in every city.
Every production, planning, and expediting clerk in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$59,650
Middle half earn $47,820 to $75,000
- 10th
- $40,080
- 25th
- $47,820
- 75th
- $75,000
- 90th
- $86,000
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $40,080 |
| 25th | $47,820 |
| Median | $59,650 |
| 75th | $75,000 |
| 90th | $86,000 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $59,650
- Median hourly wage
- $28.68/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $62,150
- People employed
- 390,160
Versus all US occupations
At $59,650, Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks earn 17% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $8,670 a year.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 21% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $86,000 or more while the bottom 10% earn $40,080, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 32% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($77,190), but once local prices are taken into account Wyoming leads at $75,207 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay production the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $77,190 | $72,131 | N/A |
| 2District of Columbia | $72,660 | $66,114 | 430 |
| 3Wyoming | $69,710 | $75,207 | 110 |
| 4Rhode Island | $65,310 | $63,854 | 960 |
| 5Colorado | $63,980 | $62,085 | 7,800 |
| 6Hawaii | $63,780 | $58,008 | 1,040 |
| 7Connecticut | $63,240 | $61,037 | 4,090 |
| 8California | $63,000 | $56,900 | 56,080 |
| 9New Jersey | $62,710 | $57,635 | 9,410 |
| 10Delaware | $62,700 | $62,821 | 450 |
Job outlook
Is production, planning, and expediting clerk a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -1.3% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | −1.3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks to change -1.3% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 5,000 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 32,600 openings are projected each year, 8.3% of the 392,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of material recording clerks is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
As e-commerce continues to grow, companies are expanding their use of automated storage and retrieval tools to meet rising demand for products and for faster delivery. These types of technologies, including radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and collaborative robots, will improve the efficiency of many warehouse operations, reducing demand for various material recording clerks.
AI exposure: very high
BLS places this occupation in its very high relative AI exposure category, among the occupations most exposed to current AI.
Getting in
How to become a production, planning, and expediting clerk
Material recording clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and are trained on the job.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as production, planning, and expediting clerks.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)36.8%
- Some College Courses21.2%
- Less than a High School Diploma19.5%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree13.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate9.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 36.8% |
| Some College Courses | 21.2% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 19.5% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 13.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 9.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a production, planning, and expediting clerk do?
Coordinate and expedite the flow of work and materials within or between departments of an establishment according to production schedule. Duties include reviewing and distributing production, work, and shipment schedules; conferring with department supervisors to determine progress of work and completion dates; and compiling reports on progress of work, inventory levels, costs, and production problems.
Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.
Day-to-day tasks
- Confer with department supervisors or other personnel to assess progress and discuss needed changes.
- Arrange for delivery, assembly, or distribution of supplies or parts to expedite flow of materials and meet production schedules.
- Distribute production schedules or work orders to departments.
- Compile information, such as production rates and progress, materials inventories, materials used, or customer information, so that status reports can be completed.
- Requisition and maintain inventories of materials or supplies necessary to meet production demands.
- Revise production schedules when required due to design changes, labor or material shortages, backlogs, or other interruptions, collaborating with management, marketing, sales, production, or engineering.
- Review documents, such as production schedules, work orders, or staffing tables, to determine personnel or materials requirements or material priorities.
- Confer with establishment personnel, vendors, or customers to coordinate production or shipping activities and to resolve complaints or eliminate delays.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most material recording clerks work full time. Some work nights and weekends or holidays.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Speaking3.6
- Active Listening3.5
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Writing3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Learning2.8
- Mathematics2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Time Management3.5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Systems Analysis2.9
- Systems Evaluation2.8
- Persuasion2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Time Management | 3.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 2.9 |
| Systems Evaluation | 2.8 |
| Persuasion | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
The workforce
Who works as a production, planning, and expediting clerk?
Women make up 45.4% of production, planning, and expediting clerks, close to their 47.1% share of all employed people.
21.7% are 55 or older, close to the 23.2% across all jobs.
The median worker is 41.9 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 45.4%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 41.9All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 21.7%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 212,000BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of production, planning, and expediting clerks | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 45.4% | 47.1% |
| White | 80.1% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 7.7% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 8.7% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14.8% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 21.7% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 11.8% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a production, planning, and expediting clerk?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerk |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional5.9
- Enterprising4.9
- Realistic3.1
- Social2.1
- Investigative1.2
- Artistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerk
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Production
First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers
$74,450median a year
Most earn $47K to $109K
+1.8%High school - Office and Administrative Support
Weigher, Measurer, Checker, and Sampler, Recordkeeping
$46,380median a year
Most earn $35K to $61K
−4.8%High school - Office and Administrative Support
First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers
$69,500median a year
Most earn $46K to $105K
+0.1%High school - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
First-Line Supervisor of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
$79,860median a year
Most earn $50K to $127K
+4.1%High school
- First-Line Supervisor of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand · $62,840 median
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with production, planning, and expediting clerks highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerk$59,650
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Teller$43,030
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerk | $59,650 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerk appears on
Questions
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerk: frequently asked questions
How much do production make?
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks earn a median of $59,650 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 17% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $28.68/hr. The middle half earn between $47,820 and $75,000. The top 10% earn $86,000 or more.
How much do production make an hour?
The median hourly wage for production, planning, and expediting clerks is $28.68 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $59,650 annual median works out to about $4,970 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a production, planning, and expediting clerk?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of production, planning, and expediting clerks earn less than $40,080 a year and the bottom quarter less than $47,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Do production make $100k?
Rarely. Even the 90th percentile is $86,000, so fewer than 10% of production, planning, and expediting clerks earn $100,000 or more (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No state's median reaches $100,000; the highest is Washington at $77,190.
Which states pay production the most?
The highest state medians for Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks are Washington ($77,190), District of Columbia ($72,660), Wyoming ($69,710) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Wyoming moves to the top at $75,207.
What kind of production, planning, and expediting clerk earns the most?
BLS does not split production, planning, and expediting clerks' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $86,000, against a median of $59,650 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Washington ($77,190), District of Columbia ($72,660), Wyoming ($69,710).
Do you need a degree to become a production, planning, and expediting clerk?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 36.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
How long does it take to become a production, planning, and expediting clerk?
BLS does not publish a fixed length; it depends on the route. What it does publish: the typical way in for production is a high school diploma or equivalent. Once hired, BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical. O*NET classes the work as needing some preparation.
Is production, planning, and expediting clerk a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 1.3% over 2025–2035, a loss of 5,000 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 32,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a production, planning, and expediting clerk do?
Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. A core O*NET task: confer with department supervisors or other personnel to assess progress and discuss needed changes. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Data base user interface and query software, Desktop publishing software.
Do production work 40 hours a week?
Most work more than 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 71% of production, planning, and expediting clerks usually work more than 40 hours a week, 29% work exactly 40 and 0% work fewer. 95% say their schedule is regular and 5% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a production, planning, and expediting clerk?
O*NET scores Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.
What percentage of production are women?
Women make up 45.4% of production, planning, and expediting clerks, close to their 47.1% share of all employed people. 21.7% are 55 or older, close to the 23.2% across all jobs. The median worker is 41.9 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages.