BLS OEWS May 2025
Inventory Control Specialist (cost and inventory clerk) salary, Rhode Island
Financial Headhunters presents official occupation data and the limitations behind this role area resource. Read the mapping and reference period before using any figure in a hiring decision.
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
For a Inventory Control Specialist (cost and inventory clerk) pay comparison in Rhode Island, BLS reports a median annual wage of $45,520 for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (SOC 43-5071, May 2025). This is the mapped occupation's benchmark, not a separate title-specific survey. That is $260 (0.6%) above the U.S. median of $45,260.
Broader occupation
BLS groups inventory clerks with shipping and receiving clerks. It does not report an inventory-control-only wage or distinguish cycle-count, cost-system or ERP depth.
| Percentile | Wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,710 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th | $38,270 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $45,520 | Half earned less and half earned more. |
| 75th | $54,510 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th | $61,480 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $47,310 | Average wage across all workers. |
| Percentile | Wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,650 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th | $38,200 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $45,260 | Half earned less and half earned more. |
| 75th | $51,570 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th | $62,190 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $46,810 | Average wage across all workers. |
What BLS wages include and exclude
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
- Employment, area
- 2,420
- Location quotient
- 0.92
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, released 2026-05-15. SOC 43-5071 Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks, Rhode Island, RI. BLS source tables and downloads; release notes. Select this SOC and area in the source files; the tables index is not an exact-row link.
What changed since May 2024
| Release | Median |
|---|---|
| BLS OEWS May 2024 | $42,950 |
| BLS OEWS May 2025 | $45,520 |
The published medians differ by $2,570. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2024 and May 2025. This is not an annualized growth claim. Area definitions and the workers represented can change.
What belongs in the pay comparison
OEWS includes straight-time gross wages, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and employer-paid benefits. It is neither pure base salary nor total compensation. If this person covers a payroll deadline, an overdue billing queue or a late close, the overtime bill is separate. A shift differential is also excluded. Compare the regular wage first, then explain the extra hours and any incentive in the offer rather than hide them inside one annual amount.
Recruiter's read
Qualitative view from our desk. Not BLS data.
For Inventory Control Specialist (cost and inventory clerk), discuss the work behind these requirements: Cycle counts and physical inventory reconciliation; ERP inventory modules (SAP, Epicor, Infor, NetSuite, Fishbowl); ASCM CPIM a plus. Ask what the person completed themselves and what a manager or specialist reviewed. A system name on a resume does not establish depth in that workflow. The BLS figure describes the listed occupation, not a separately measured rate for this exact opening.
Common questions
Which median is used when comparing pay for Inventory Control Specialist (cost and inventory clerk)?
$45,520 is the annual median for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (SOC 43-5071) in Rhode Island, RI, based on BLS May 2025. It is an occupation benchmark, not a separate compensation survey for this hiring title.
What does the middle half of workers earn?
The 25th percentile is $38,270 and the 75th percentile is $54,510 in Rhode Island, RI. That is where the middle half of workers in this occupation fall.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimates 2,420 workers in Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks in Rhode Island, RI.
What does the upper percentile show?
The 90th percentile for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks is $61,480. 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned more.
Does BLS publish this exact title?
BLS groups inventory clerks with shipping and receiving clerks. It does not report an inventory-control-only wage or distinguish cycle-count, cost-system or ERP depth.
Related areas and roles
Hiring in Rhode Island?
Start a search Call 305-306-4829Get the Hiring Market Brief
Inventory Control Specialist (cost and inventory clerk) in Rhode Island, from BLS data.
Your download appears here after the request is saved. This does not confirm email delivery.
BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. These are published occupation estimates, not a quote for an exact niche title. Tool calculations use BLS values or your inputs, not predictions.