Perform any combination of tasks in a United States Postal Service (USPS) post office, such as receive letters and parcels; sell postage and revenue stamps, postal cards, and stamped envelopes; fill out and sell money orders; place mail in pigeon holes of mail rack or in bags; and examine mail for correct postage. Includes postal service clerks employed by USPS contractors.
National median · BLS
$62,130
▲ +0.81%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$61,860
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
73,720
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Most jobsLoading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted)Loading…
Check your salary
Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Postal Service Clerks
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$42,600
25th
$56,740
Median (50th)
$62,130
75th
$70,890
90th — top pay
$75,030
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
Type in either box; the other updates instantly.
⇄
Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Postal Service Clerks
BLS projects employment of postal service clerks to decline 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 5,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
70,900 → 70,700
-200 jobs
Projected change
-0.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
5,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Postal Service Clerks salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Postal Service Clerks
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening3.4
Speaking3.3
Reading Comprehension3.1
Service Orientation3.1
Critical Thinking3.0
Monitoring3.0
Social Perceptiveness3.0
Time Management3.0
Judgment and Decision Making2.9
Writing2.9
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.0
English Language3.4
Mathematics3.4
Sales and Marketing3.0
Administrative3.0
Computers and Electronics3.0
Transportation3.0
Administration and Management2.9
Software and technology used
Microsoft WindowsBudgeting softwareDelivery operations information system DOISElectronic Time Clock ETCInventory tracking softwareNCR Advanced StoreTime and Attendance Collection System TACS
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What postal service clerks do
Weigh letters and parcels, compute mailing costs based on type, weight, and destination, and affix correct postage.
Check mail to ensure correct postage and that packages and letters are in proper condition for mailing.
Sort incoming and outgoing mail, according to type and destination, by hand or by operating electronic mail-sorting and scanning devices.
Obtain signatures from recipients of registered or special delivery mail.
Answer questions regarding mail regulations and procedures, postage rates, and post office boxes.
Transport mail from one work station to another.
Sell and collect payment for products such as stamps, prepaid mail envelopes, and money orders.
Keep money drawers in order, and record and balance daily transactions.
Also called
ClerkPostal ClerkSales and Service Associate (SSA)Window ClerkBulk Mail TechnicianDistribution ClerkPart Time Flexible Clerk (PTF Clerk)Sales and Distribution Clerk
More job titles for this occupation (31)
Annuitant HCA (Annuitant Holiday Clerk Assistant)Bulk ClerkBulk Mail ClerkBusiness Mail Entry ClerkCity CarrierCity Carrier Assistant (CCA)Counter ClerkDelivery AssociateDelivery ClerkDock ClerkMail AgentMail CallerMail ClerkMail HandlerMail Order ClerkMailing ClerkMailroom AssociateMailroom ClerkMoney Order ClerkPackage HandlerPackage SorterPackage SwitcherParcel Post ClerkPost Office ClerkPostal Service ClerkPostal Service Window ClerkPostal Support EmployeeRural CarrierRural Carrier AssociateSpecial Delivery ClerkStamp Clerk
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Postal Service Clerks, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $62,130.
