How To Become A Shipper: What It Is and Career Path

What is a shipper and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

A shipper works in the warehouse of the company, where he/she oversees shipping operations. He/She ensures that all shipments are properly labeled with the correct labels and postal charges to ensure their safe arrival. He/She organizes stock and merchandise in the warehouse by boxing and storing them in their assigned location. Besides that, he/she verifies all incoming shipments by comparing the invoice to order and ensuring all goods are in perfect condition. Likewise, he/she prepares detailed and accurate invoices to accompany shipments. Moreover, he/she informs management and supervisors of product shortages.

To get the job of a shipper, all you need regarding education is a high school diploma or its equivalent. You must possess communication, interpersonal, attention to detail, organization, problem-solving, and record-keeping skills. You must be proficient in Microsoft Office and industry-related software. Shippers make an average annual income of $34,928. It varies from $25,000 to $49,000.

ScoreShipperUS Average

Salary

2.6

Avg. Salary $33,233

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.3

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 7.06%

Black or African American 9.81%

Hispanic or Latino 18.65%

Unknown 4.15%

White 59.59%

Gender

female 26.89%

male 73.11%

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 a shipper

Explore shipper education requirements

Most common shipper degrees

High School Diploma

46.2 %

Bachelor's

18.3 %

Associate

18.2 %

Start to develop specific shipper skills

Skills	Percentages
Pallets	11.60%
Basic Math	9.80%
Math	7.86%
Shipping Receiving	6.11%
Electric Pallet Jack	5.80%

Complete relevant shipper training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New shippers 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 a shipper based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real shipper resumes.

Research shipper duties and responsibilities

Pack and ship gift packages via USPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.
Use of drill press, wood see, nail gun, ginder, and stencils.
Prepare loads for LTL shipments.
Work with the USPS to ship packages internationally.

Prepare your shipper resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your shipper 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 a shipper resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Shipper Resume templates

Build a professional Shipper 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 Shipper resume.

Apply for shipper jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a shipper 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 shippers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Shipper reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019

Cons

Stress plus the amount of pressure that can be put on you at a moment's notice