# Order Clerks

US SOC code 43-4151. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/43-4151

Also called: Order entry clerk, Order entry specialist, Sales order processor, Order fulfillment clerk, Order coordinator.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **75,200** US order clerks, with median pay of **$46,170** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **303,320**, in May 2003. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears,_Roebuck_and_Company_Complex) of **200** from 1896, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for order clerks: SAP R/3 and ERP-integrated order management, 1992 to 2015.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 17.5% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-4151&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **60%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)
- **46%** of work tasks in office and administrative support occupations, this job's group, are exposed to automation by AI. Not a forecast of job losses. [Goldman Sachs, 2023](https://www.gspublishing.com/content/research/en/reports/2023/03/27/d64e052b-0f6e-45d7-967b-d7be35fabd16.pdf)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Order Clerks employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1872
- Latest US employment: 75,200 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $46,170 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [7]
- Outlook: -17.5% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [19]

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1896 | 200 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Wikipedia / Chicago History sources [1] |
| 1940 | 75,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., US Census Bureau [2] |
| 1970 | 220,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook [3] |
| 1990 | 310,000 (estimate) | $18,500 (estimate) | Est., Bureau of Labor Statistics (employment) [4]; Est., BLS (pay) [6] |
| 2003 | 303,320 | $25,070 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 289,830 | $25,110 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 259,760 | $25,570 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 264,520 | $26,340 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 255,670 | $26,920 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 248,030 | $27,990 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 227,190 | $28,510 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 211,370 | $28,710 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 215,390 | $28,940 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 208,800 | $29,480 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 200,210 | $30,110 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 190,390 | $31,180 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 185,890 | $32,330 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 176,850 | $33,370 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 169,120 | $33,510 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 159,210 | $33,460 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 137,180 | $34,240 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 119,640 | $35,590 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 133,850 | $37,920 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 113,500 | $38,060 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 91,830 | $41,600 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 83,420 | $44,660 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 75,200 | $46,170 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (80)

### Employment series

1. [Sears Wikipedia / Chicago History sources — "500 employees at Fulton store, 200 on main floor processing mail orders" (1896)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears,_Roebuck_and_Company_Complex), Wikipedia / Chicago History sources
2. [US Census Bureau — 1940 Census occupational classification codes and categories for clerical workers (Archives.gov)](https://www.archives.gov/files/research/census/1940/occupational-codes.pdf), US National Archives / Census Bureau
3. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — historical "Order Clerks" occupation section (1970s editions)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/information-clerks.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. [BLS CPS historical occupational classifications — 1990 Census occupational coding for Information Clerks group](https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsoccind.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

6. [BLS — historical clerical wages, administrative support occupations, circa 1990 (University of Missouri Prices and Wages guide)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1990-1999), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
7. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

8. [Wikipedia — Montgomery Ward (history, 1872 founding and catalog operations)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Ward), Wikipedia
9. [Sears, Roebuck and Company Complex — Wikipedia (1906 West Side plant, order processing operations)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears,_Roebuck_and_Company_Complex), Wikipedia
10. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — "Order Clerks" occupation narrative (historical editions)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/information-clerks.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
11. [Wikipedia — IBM System/360 (launched April 7, 1964; foundational business computing platform)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/360), Wikipedia
12. [Wikipedia — Electronic data interchange (ANSI X12 standard, 1979; Walmart mandate)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_data_interchange), Wikipedia
13. [OrderEase — Complete History of EDI (ANSI X12 1979, retail mandates 1980s-1990s)](https://www.orderease.com/community/history-of-edi-innovations-business-guide), OrderEase
14. [Wikipedia — SAP ERP (SAP R/3 launched July 6, 1992)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAP_ERP), Wikipedia
15. [NetSuite — The History of ERP (ERP 1990s growth and SAP R/3 client-server era)](https://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/erp/erp-history.shtml), Oracle NetSuite
16. [Conexiom — Ideal Order Platform (February 2025 launch; 85% touchless processing, 75+ validation checks)](https://conexiom.com/platform), Conexiom
17. [Esker — AI Order Management (2.87M orders/month; 92% reduction in manual entry)](https://www.esker.com/solutions/order-management/), Esker
18. [BLS National Employment Matrix — 43-4151 Order Clerks (2024-34 projections: -17.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-4151&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Forecasts and exposure studies

19. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 43-4151 Order clerks (2025: 78.9 thousand; 2035: 65.1 thousand; -17.5%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=43-4151&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
20. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 43-4151.00, human-rated β 0.6)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI
21. [Briggs & Kodnani, "The Potentially Large Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Economic Growth", Goldman Sachs Global Economics Analyst (26 March 2023), Exhibit 5 (US): office and administrative support 46%](https://www.gspublishing.com/content/research/en/reports/2023/03/27/d64e052b-0f6e-45d7-967b-d7be35fabd16.pdf), Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research

### Historical notes

22. [Wikipedia — Aaron Montgomery Ward (1872 founding, mail-order concept)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Montgomery_Ward), Wikipedia
23. [Sears, Roebuck and Company Complex — Wikipedia (1896 workforce description, Fulton Street operations)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears,_Roebuck_and_Company_Complex), Wikipedia
24. [Wikipedia — Electronic data interchange (ANSI X12 standard, 1979)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_data_interchange), Wikipedia
25. [Wikipedia — SAP ERP (SAP R/3 official launch, July 6, 1992)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAP_ERP), Wikipedia
26. [Conexiom — "Conexiom Launches AI-Powered Ideal Order Platform" press release (February 2025)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/conexiom-launches-ai-powered-ideal-order-platform-to-revolutionize-sales-order-automation-302386165.html), Conexiom / PR Newswire

### Predecessors & successors

27. [Wikipedia — Montgomery Ward (1872 founding; mail order catalog and correspondence operations)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Ward), Wikipedia

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET OnLine — Order Clerks (43-4151.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/43-4151.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Conexiom — Ideal Order Platform launch, February 2025](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/conexiom-launches-ai-powered-ideal-order-platform-to-revolutionize-sales-order-automation-302386165.html), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Esker — AI Order Management 2025](https://www.esker.com/blog/customer-service/5-ways-improve-your-order-entry-system-ai-automation/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS OEWS May 2024 — Order Clerks median wage $44,660 (national flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), accessed 2026-10-07
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs Are GPTs (Science)](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adj0998), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Goldman Sachs — How Will AI Affect the Global Workforce? (2025)](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/how-will-ai-affect-the-global-workforce), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS 2024-34 Employment Projections — Information Clerks group](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2026/article/industry-and-occupational-employment-projections-overview.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Rossum for Order Management — 94.9% field capture accuracy (LAPP case study)](https://rossum.ai/solutions/order-management/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Conexiom Ideal Order Platform — 85% touchless processing, 75+ validation checks](https://conexiom.com/platform), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.