How To Become An Import Export Clerk: What It Is and Career Path

What is an import export clerk and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an import export clerk. For example, did you know that they make an average of $18.32 an hour? That's $38,110 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -3% and produce -38,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreImport Export ClerkUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,110

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.3

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.69%

Asian 5.83%

Black or African American 9.84%

Hispanic or Latino 33.85%

Unknown 3.92%

White 45.87%

Gender

female 64.07%

male 35.93%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.3

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.0

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an import export clerk

Explore import export clerk education requirements

Most common import export clerk degrees

Bachelor's

40.4 %

Associate

23.2 %

High School Diploma

20.7 %

Start to develop specific import export clerk skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	40.04%
Data Entry	14.63%
Delivery Orders	8.35%
Forwarders	4.05%
US Customs	2.38%

Complete relevant import export clerk training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New import export clerks learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an import export clerk based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real import export clerk resumes.

Research import export clerk duties and responsibilities

Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
Coordinate and load full trailer loads and LTL shipments.
Handle hazardous cargo and work with USDA and customs offices.
Cut and paste bills of lading manually for LC documents.

Prepare your import export clerk resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your import export clerk resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an import export clerk resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Import Export Clerk Resume templates

Build a professional Import Export Clerk resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Import Export Clerk resume.

Apply for import export clerk jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an import export clerk job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do import export clerks rate their job?