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Career overview · SOC 43-5061

Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks

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.

Also called: Expeditor · Inventory Control Specialist · Material Requirements Planner (MRP) · Materials Coordinator · Materials Planner · Production Assistant

Median pay (national)
$57,770
$38,570–$84,810 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
385,000
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-1.8%
~34,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for production, planning, and expediting clerks shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $84,810 versus $38,570 at the bottom 10% — 2.2x. The median of $57,770 leaves roughly 47% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -1.8% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 34,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 53 states with released data, Wyoming pays the most for this role (median $66,580, +15% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $36,520 — a 82% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint as in-demand technologies for this role.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Writing
  • Monitoring
  • Active Learning
  • Mathematics
  • Learning Strategies
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • Distribute production schedules or work orders to departments.
  • Review documents, such as production schedules, work orders, or staffing tables, to determine personnel or materials requirements or material priorities.
  • Arrange for delivery, assembly, or distribution of supplies or parts to expedite flow of materials and meet production schedules.
  • Requisition and maintain inventories of materials or supplies necessary to meet production demands.
  • Confer with department supervisors or other personnel to assess progress and discuss needed changes.
  • 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.
  • Confer with establishment personnel, vendors, or customers to coordinate production or shipping activities and to resolve complaints or eliminate delays.
  • Plan production commitments or timetables for business units, specific programs, or jobs, using sales forecasts.
  • Compile information, such as production rates and progress, materials inventories, materials used, or customer information, so that status reports can be completed.
  • Compile and prepare documentation related to production sequences, transportation, personnel schedules, or purchase, maintenance, or repair orders.

Tools & technology

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • MEDITECH software
  • Oracle Database
  • Oracle PeopleSoft
  • Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
  • SAP software
  • Structured query language SQL
  • ABB Production Planning
  • Accvision ABMIS

Knowledge areas

  • Production and Processing
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Administrative
  • Administration and Management
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Mathematics
  • Transportation