Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks Salary in Chicago, IL
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $47,740 a year — 5% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,321 take-home, or $3,193 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,549
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,960
- Medicare (1.45%)$692
- Illinois income tax$2,218
- Take-home pay$38,321
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,150 | $17.86 | $30,336 | $2,528 |
| 25th percentile | $40,710 | $19.57 | $33,020 | $2,752 |
| Median (50th) | $47,740 | $22.95 | $38,321 | $3,193 |
| 75th percentile | $57,790 | $27.78 | $45,898 | $3,825 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $64,680 | $31.10 | $51,094 | $4,258 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $47,740 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks's $38,321 take-home pay has the buying power of $36,991 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.10).
Best-paying cities for shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #29 of 54 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $56,370 | $47,473 | $42,718 |
| 2 | Memphis, TN | $45,800 | $38,980 | $42,288 |
| 3 | Knoxville, TN | $45,320 | $38,595 | $41,693 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | $48,650 | $39,865 | $41,658 |
| 5 | Louisville, KY | $46,690 | $38,179 | $41,020 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $45,650 | $38,387 | $40,870 |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $46,290 | $38,883 | $40,729 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $47,900 | $39,341 | $40,584 |
| 29 | Chicago, IL | $47,740 | $38,321 | $36,991 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 54 metros →
About the job: shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
Verify and maintain records on incoming and outgoing shipments involving inventory. Duties include verifying and recording incoming merchandise or material and arranging for the transportation of products. May prepare items for shipment.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -7.6% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks make in Chicago, IL?
The median shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $47,740 a year, or about $22.95 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $40,710 and $57,790.
What is a shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $47,740 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $38,321 a year ($3,193 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,218 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks?
Pay here is 5% above the national median of $45,260. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $36,991 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #29 of 54 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 48% of a median shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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