The Salary of a Distribution Assistant
Distribution assistants perform different duties depending upon their industry. Some distribution assistants handle shipping, delivery and ordering for wholesale manufacturers or the trucking and transportation industry. Retail stores, public utilities and schools also employ distribution assistants. Distribution assistants employed by nonprofits often work for large food banks or for health care organizations. Most distribution assistant positions require a high school diploma or equivalent, and offer on-the-job training. The salary of a distribution assistant depends largely on the industry in which the assistant works.
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Agriculture and Food Manufacturing
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics includes distribution assistants in its employment surveys as shipping, receiving and traffic clerks. Agriculture businesses, including farms, forestry and fishing, employed about 20,000 shipping, receiving and traffic clerks in May 2010, with an average salary of $25,280. In food manufacturing, the BLS reports that the average annual salary for distribution assistants was $29,070 in May 2010. Distribution assistants for the dairy industry earned an average annual salary of $31,630 in May 2010.
Other Manufacturing
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Distribution assistants are a large segment of the entry-level workforce in the manufacturing sector. As of May 2010, U.S. manufacturers employed over 175,000 shipping, receiving and traffic clerks with an average salary of $30,360 a year, the BLS reports. In May 2010, clothing manufacturers employed over 3,600 distribution assistants at an average annual salary of $23,840, and chemical manufacturers employed 13,400 distribution assistants at an average annual salary of $32,210 in May 2010.
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Government Occupations
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State, local and federal government agencies order and distribute many different types of goods and supplies. About 22,000 distribution assistants were employed by different government organizations in May 2010, according to the BLS. Their average annual salary in May 2010 was $42,480. Employees working for state government agencies earned an average of $28,380 in annual salary, and those working for the federal government earned an average of $44,950 a year in May 2010.
Health Care
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More than 6,100 distribution assistants were employed by hospitals, medical and dental offices, outpatient clinics and care centers in May 2010, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In May 2010, distribution assistants for dental clinics started at $18,910 in the 10th percentile entry-level category, but their median annual salary of $31,550 was higher than other health care categories. In May 2010, the average annual salary for distribution assistants in all health care companies was $28,970, according to the BLS.
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