Salary guide, May 2025
Inventory Control Lead pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks in the United States was $45,260 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $38,200 and $51,570.
Broader occupation · SOC 43-5071 Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Inventory Control Lead is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $34,650 | $38,200 | $45,260 | $51,570 | $62,190 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $16.66 | $18.37 | $21.76 | $24.79 | $29.90 |
BLS estimated 816,870 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 43-5071 Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $40,960 | $36,010 to $48,900 | 14,060 | 0.95 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $40,370 | $36,820 to $48,200 | 6,350 | 0.84 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $39,800 | $35,660 to $48,540 | 5,720 | 0.77 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $43,300 | $36,910 to $49,610 | 2,230 | 0.57 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $46,550 | $41,550 to $56,900 | 38,970 | 0.78 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $46,550 | $41,550 to $56,900 | 38,970 | 0.78 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $44,310 | $37,100 to $49,190 | 29,670 | 1.39 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $47,740 | $40,710 to $57,790 | 26,030 | 1.1 |
Rank every metro for Inventory Control Lead
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills$62,160
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$58,770
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$57,090
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$57,090
- Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing$56,700
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$56,580
- Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing$54,810
- Beverage Manufacturing$53,870
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing$53,840
- Tobacco Manufacturing$52,910
- Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing$50,920
- Paper Manufacturing$50,830
- Primary Metal Manufacturing$49,780
- Dairy Product Manufacturing$49,620
- Converted Paper Product Manufacturing$49,580
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 230,110 | $39,890 | $46,910 | $54,590 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 34,800 | $40,410 | $46,830 | $52,920 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 27,420 | $39,300 | $46,460 | $52,680 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 23,410 | $43,920 | $47,690 | $55,150 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 23,080 | $43,900 | $48,290 | $59,100 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 17,370 | $44,670 | $47,900 | $55,400 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 16,770 | $39,450 | $47,240 | $58,270 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 15,850 | $40,290 | $46,690 | $51,820 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 14,700 | $40,530 | $46,680 | $52,600 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 13,780 | $38,350 | $45,330 | $49,070 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 13,750 | $40,190 | $46,650 | $51,630 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 12,850 | $40,000 | $46,800 | $51,270 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 10,250 | $41,320 | $47,280 | $55,400 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 9,830 | $40,140 | $46,050 | $49,360 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 9,410 | $38,870 | $45,830 | $51,350 |
| 323000 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 9,370 | $36,650 | $42,820 | $47,530 |
| 323100 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 9,370 | $36,650 | $42,820 | $47,530 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 8,580 | $47,440 | $58,770 | $93,190 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 8,520 | $40,750 | $46,940 | $53,750 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 7,940 | $37,190 | $43,650 | $48,390 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 7,490 | $46,790 | $50,830 | $59,790 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 7,270 | $37,240 | $43,870 | $48,640 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 7,270 | $38,020 | $44,720 | $48,820 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 6,860 | $45,460 | $49,780 | $59,370 |
| 311600 | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 6,670 | $37,340 | $42,530 | $47,640 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 6,530 | $40,600 | $49,290 | $61,510 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 6,520 | $38,690 | $46,060 | $49,630 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 6,330 | $43,360 | $47,580 | $55,680 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 5,980 | $45,970 | $49,580 | $57,430 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 5,790 | $43,030 | $47,680 | $55,620 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 5,750 | $38,770 | $46,180 | $54,180 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 5,250 | $39,100 | $46,460 | $50,920 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 5,140 | $39,180 | $46,180 | $56,870 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 5,110 | $38,960 | $46,290 | $54,260 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 4,570 | $39,680 | $47,160 | $54,170 |
| 311800 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 4,180 | $40,410 | $47,910 | $56,600 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 3,660 | $41,790 | $48,730 | $59,240 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 3,660 | $41,790 | $48,730 | $59,240 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 3,500 | $45,190 | $49,620 | $58,200 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 3,370 | $41,450 | $47,490 | $56,330 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 3,180 | $38,660 | $45,320 | $50,230 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 3,050 | $47,630 | $53,840 | $62,470 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 3,020 | $39,050 | $46,730 | $52,240 |
| 311400 | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 2,930 | $42,470 | $47,460 | $51,580 |
| 312100 | Beverage Manufacturing | 2,800 | $47,920 | $53,870 | $63,020 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 2,790 | $40,320 | $46,520 | $51,960 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 2,730 | $39,120 | $45,300 | $49,080 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 2,600 | $38,870 | $46,850 | $51,650 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 2,560 | $43,410 | $47,310 | $53,940 |
| 314000 | Textile Product Mills | 2,440 | $35,530 | $40,690 | $46,910 |
| 315000 | Apparel Manufacturing | 2,300 | $36,900 | $38,880 | $45,410 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 2,240 | $38,830 | $38,870 | $46,300 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 2,100 | $41,130 | $47,280 | $52,610 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 1,850 | $41,350 | $46,930 | $54,550 |
| 315200 | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 1,830 | $37,100 | $39,620 | $45,680 |
| 313000 | Textile Mills | 1,600 | $36,980 | $40,910 | $48,310 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 1,560 | $43,920 | $48,590 | $57,840 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 1,540 | $44,980 | $48,970 | $57,190 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 1,520 | $51,500 | $62,160 | $65,530 |
| 311100 | Animal Food Manufacturing | 1,510 | $40,390 | $48,100 | $55,410 |
| 314900 | Other Textile Product Mills | 1,510 | $35,880 | $42,840 | $48,150 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 1,410 | $47,110 | $54,810 | $69,680 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 1,410 | $46,240 | $50,920 | $60,470 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 1,400 | $44,310 | $47,840 | $58,440 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 1,360 | $37,870 | $47,450 | $53,480 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 1,360 | $40,700 | $46,460 | $49,900 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 1,280 | $36,940 | $44,630 | $49,550 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 1,240 | $37,990 | $44,400 | $49,520 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 1,100 | $44,190 | $47,960 | $58,360 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,020 | $47,880 | $57,090 | $71,080 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,020 | $47,880 | $57,090 | $71,080 |
| 314100 | Textile Furnishings Mills | 940 | $33,860 | $38,940 | $44,480 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 930 | $45,980 | $49,100 | $58,900 |
| 321200 | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 900 | $44,240 | $49,140 | $58,480 |
| 313200 | Fabric Mills | 810 | $37,070 | $41,830 | $50,610 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 710 | $44,190 | $46,380 | $51,410 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 690 | $42,340 | $48,530 | $56,820 |
| 337900 | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 670 | $36,500 | $39,910 | $45,650 |
| 321100 | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 650 | $38,640 | $46,860 | $53,860 |
| 316000 | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 580 | $29,810 | $36,320 | $42,240 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 540 | $48,760 | $56,580 | $63,460 |
| 313300 | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 520 | $36,930 | $40,860 | $47,480 |
| 339910 | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 470 | $38,940 | $45,100 | $50,070 |
| 311700 | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 420 | $37,430 | $40,360 | $46,120 |
| 334300 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 400 | $39,610 | $46,300 | $48,910 |
| 316900 | Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 340 | $25,340 | $35,570 | $37,990 |
| 315900 | Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 320 | $32,220 | $37,130 | $40,550 |
| 313100 | Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | 270 | $36,990 | $40,580 | $43,870 |
| 312200 | Tobacco Manufacturing | 250 | $38,110 | $52,910 | $59,550 |
| 316200 | Footwear Manufacturing | 190 | $31,910 | $37,310 | $47,710 |
| 315100 | Apparel Knitting Mills | 140 | $29,720 | $35,750 | $38,080 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 120 | $49,270 | $56,700 | $63,200 |
| 334600 | Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | 80 | $37,270 | $40,750 | $50,090 |
| 316100 | Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing | 50 | $31,420 | $38,880 | $45,760 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Inventory Control Lead, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $37,040 | $43,190 | $49,390 |
| May 2025 | $38,200 | $45,260 | $51,570 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about an interview based on the work?
Build the interview around hands-on inventory controls and coordination of cycle-count work. A practical discussion of a variance investigated through physical material and ERP transactions can test judgment without using confidential drawings or customer information. Those limits help establish working inventory leadership versus authority to set accounting policy; they are part of competence, not a weakness to talk around.
What should you know about questions?
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.
What is the median pay for a Inventory Control Lead?
The median annual wage for Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks in the United States was $45,260 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $38,200 and $51,570. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $34,650. 90% earned less than $62,190.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
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.
Is this the pay for a Inventory Control Lead at a plant?
Inventory Control Lead is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 816,870 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
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What does this data mean for your opening?
The Inventory Control Lead role is focused on the investigation of variances between physical stock and ERP records. It is mapped to the occupation of Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (SOC 43-5071). Because this is a working leadership position rather than one with accounting policy authority, it falls within the clerical classification provided by the BLS.
Hiring managers should evaluate internal candidate experience against the broader occupational statistics to identify how their specific inventory control needs align with this SOC profile.
The national median for this occupation is $45,260, representing a $2,070 increase from the May 2024 median of $43,190. The middle band width for this occupation is $13,370, set between the $38,200 P25 and $51,570 P75. National industry-specific medians within the manufacturing sector show stronger compensation, with Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills at $62,160, and Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing at $58,770. These manufacturing industry medians are more indicative of the compensation expectations for lead roles managing production-critical inventory than the broader clerk occupation.
New York City and Los Angeles are the two metros with the highest employment for this SOC. New York reports a $46,550 median with a $15,350 middle band width and a $100 median change. Los Angeles reports a $45,980 median with a $13,270 middle band width and a $1,930 median increase. Manufacturing Headhunters notes that these localized medians track closely with the national median of $45,260. The location quotient in each metro relates only to industry employment concentration and does not determine local labor availability or pay premiums for lead-level skills.
All data is based on the May 2025 OEWS releases. The figures omit non-cash compensation, including annual benefits and performance bonuses, which are typical for lead-level roles in industrial inventory management. The $2,070 median increase and the $13,370 middle band width are exact calculations. We do not provide estimates for missing variables or attempt to reconcile plant-specific data gaps that do not appear in the official OEWS dataset.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Is this lead role considered a supervisory position by the BLS?
No: Inventory Control Leads are captured within the clerical SOC 43-5071 classification, not the supervisory occupations. The lead role is treated as an individual contributor position with functional coordination duties.
How do industry medians help in setting base pay?
Because the SOC is broad, use industry medians like the $62,160 for Pulp and Paper as a benchmark for production-critical inventory control roles. This helps ensure that the lead role is paid appropriately relative to standard clerical counterparts.
Why is the band width relatively narrow?
The $13,370 band width is a result of the pay distribution for a large, heterogeneous group of clerical workers. It reflects market data for the whole occupation and doesn't explicitly segment pay by leadership level.
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