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Stockers and Order Fillers

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Receive, store, and issue merchandise, materials, equipment, and other items from stockroom, warehouse, or storage yard to fill shelves, racks, tables, or customers' orders. May operate power equipment to fill orders. May mark prices on merchandise and set up sales displays.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $37,330 Median per year · $17.95/hr Most earn $30,110–$49,260

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Mark stock items, using identification tags, stamps, electric marking tools, or other labeling equipment.
  • Store items in an orderly and accessible manner in warehouses, tool rooms, supply rooms, or other areas.
  • Keep records on the use or damage of stock or stock-handling equipment.
  • Itemize and total customer merchandise selection at checkout counter, using cash register, and accept cash or charge card for purchases.
  • Read orders to ascertain catalog numbers, sizes, colors, and quantities of merchandise.
  • Receive, unload, open, unpack, or issue sales floor merchandise.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth; Numerous Job Openings

United States
9% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 430,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • General merchandise retailers30.7%
  • Grocery and specialty food retailers23.5%
  • Warehousing and storage15.5%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods4.5%
  • Building material and supplies dealers3.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Stocker and Order Filler is an entry-level job. You can get in with a high school diploma, though employers usually like to see about 6 months to 1 year of related work before you take on the role. Many people start in a general helper job in a warehouse or store and move into stocking from there.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school and build basic math, reading, and computer skills, which you will use to count stock, read labels, and log orders.

  2. Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand

    6 months to 1 year

    Work as a helper who loads, unloads, and moves goods in a store, warehouse, or stockroom. This builds the hands-on experience and safe lifting habits that employers look for.

  3. Stocker and Order Filler

    Ongoing once hired

    Receive, store, and restock merchandise, and pull items to fill customer or store orders. This is the career itself, and you can keep building skills on the job.

Where it can lead

  1. Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerk

    6 months to 1 year of experience first

    You move from handling goods to tracking them: checking shipments in, counting inventory, and keeping records in a computer system. Learning inventory software and being accurate with counts helps you move up.

  2. Order Clerk

    1 to 2 years of experience first

    You handle customer orders from start to finish, including checking stock, processing paperwork, and solving delivery problems. Good communication and comfort with order systems are key.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and computer classesCounting, measuring, and using spreadsheets are used daily when tracking stock and orders.
  • Get a part-time job at a grocery or retail storeStocking shelves and helping customers gives you real experience with inventory and teamwork.
  • Try a summer job in a warehouse or with a moving or delivery companyHands-on work with boxes, pallets, and safety rules is good preparation for this career.
  • Learn safe lifting and workplace safetyMany schools and community groups offer safety talks or first-aid classes that employers value.
  • Join a business or FFA-type club if your school has oneClubs build teamwork, responsibility, and communication skills.

In college

  • Take courses in business, logistics, or supply chain basicsEven a few classes in these areas help you understand how goods move from suppliers to customers.
  • Work a campus job in a bookstore, dining hall, or storeroomHandling supplies and keeping track of items builds the same skills used in stocking work.
  • Learn spreadsheet and inventory softwareBasic Excel or similar tools are widely used for tracking stock and orders, and they help you move into clerk roles.
  • Get a seasonal or part-time warehouse or retail jobHoliday and summer jobs show employers you can handle fast-paced work and that you already know the environment.
  • Earn a forklift or equipment certification if one is offered locallySome employers prefer or require operating power equipment, which this career can involve.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for entry-level helper or stock associate jobs at stores, warehouses, and distribution centers. Ask about on-the-job training and whether they offer a path to stocking.
  • Show you are reliable: be on time, follow safety rules, and learn to lift correctly. These qualities matter more than experience for this kind of job.
  • Get comfortable with basic computers and spreadsheets now. Inventory and order systems are common in this field, and it helps you move into clerk roles later.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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