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Boston Career Explorer

Office and Administrative Support

Order Clerks

Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Generally receives orders via mail, phone, fax, or other electronic means. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.

Also called: Hub Associate, Materials Specialist, Order Analyst, Order Clerk, Order Entry Administrator (Order Entry Admin), Order Entry Representative (Order Entry Rep)

Median pay in Greater Boston
$55,090
$26.49/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,100
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−15.2%
110 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Some college, no degree
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$46,670$49,070$55,090$64,120$72,920

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Review orders for completeness according to reporting procedures and forward incomplete orders for further processing.
  • Obtain customers' names, addresses, and billing information, product numbers, and specifications of items to be purchased, and enter this information on order forms.
  • Recommend merchandise or services that will meet customers' needs.
  • Inspect outgoing work for compliance with customers' specifications.
  • Receive and respond to customer complaints.
  • Check inventory records to determine availability of requested merchandise.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure76 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 67
  • Language-model AIOE 68
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 93

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

Order clerks have higher AI exposure, and some AI use is already seen in this job. Tools can help with taking order details, checking forms for completeness, and handling routine order entry. Federal projections point to automated order-taking systems, and Massachusetts expects a 15.2% drop by 2034. Recommending products and handling complaints still rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Taking and entering order details
  • Checking orders for completeness

Still relies on people

  • Handling customer complaints with care
  • Recommending products that fit a customer's needs

What federal projections say

“Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as establishments continue to adopt automated order-taking systems.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

    Checking work against customer specifications carries over to inspecting products against standards. This job has lower AI exposure and needs a high school diploma.

    Pay difference
    +$3,120 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +1.2%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

    Reviewing orders for accuracy is like checking load paperwork. Truck driving offers a Boston median of $64,010 and 8.5% expected growth in Massachusetts.

    Pay difference
    +$8,920 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +8.5%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers

    Following procedures and keeping accurate records carry over to supervising production workers. This role pays a Boston median of $82,660 and has lower AI exposure.

    Pay difference
    +$27,570 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +3.6%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

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