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Postal Service Clerks: Career Overview
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.
The Daily Work of Postal Service Clerks Take On?
Typical responsibilities of postal service clerks include:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful postal service clerks combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Postal Service Clerks Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Annuitant HCA (Annuitant Holiday Clerk Assistant)
- Bulk Clerk
- Bulk Mail Clerk
- Bulk Mail Technician
- Business Mail Entry Clerk
- City Carrier
- City Carrier Assistant (CCA)
- Clerk
Job Outlook
There are roughly 1,237,661 postal service clerks working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +8.1% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Postal Service Clerks
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $40,274 |
| Hourly median | $19.36 |
| 10th percentile | $25,576 |
| 25th percentile | $32,925 |
| 75th percentile | $47,623 |
| 90th percentile | $54,972 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Postal Service Clerks Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $65,770 |
| Virgin Islands | $64,160 |
| Hawaii | $63,690 |
| New Jersey | $63,690 |
| North Carolina | $63,690 |
| California | $63,670 |
| Michigan | $63,270 |
| Tennessee | $63,270 |
| Kentucky | $62,670 |
| South Carolina | $62,670 |
| Georgia | $62,190 |
| Louisiana | $61,710 |
| Texas | $61,710 |
| Nevada | $61,630 |
| Indiana | $61,630 |
| Ohio | $61,630 |
| Maryland | $61,630 |
| New York | $61,630 |
| Massachusetts | $61,630 |
| Puerto Rico | $61,630 |
| Florida | $61,630 |
| West Virginia | $61,630 |
| Arizona | $61,630 |
| Illinois | $61,110 |
| New Hampshire | $61,110 |
| Alabama | $61,110 |
| Virginia | $61,110 |
| Minnesota | $61,110 |
| Delaware | $60,740 |
| Oregon | $60,590 |
| Washington | $60,590 |
| Wisconsin | $60,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,590 |
| Connecticut | $60,590 |
| Vermont | $60,590 |
| Maine | $60,030 |
| Rhode Island | $60,030 |
| Idaho | $60,030 |
| New Mexico | $60,030 |
| Colorado | $59,760 |
| Utah | $59,550 |
| Mississippi | $59,550 |
| Missouri | $59,250 |
| Oklahoma | $58,950 |
| Iowa | $58,950 |
| Kansas | $58,950 |
| Wyoming | $58,650 |
| Arkansas | $58,510 |
| Nebraska | $58,510 |
| Montana | $57,870 |
| South Dakota | $57,800 |
| North Dakota | $57,140 |
| Alaska | $55,720 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for postal service clerks shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $62,550 | 13.6% | 0.88 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $61,886 | 1.0% | 1.81 |
| Southeast | $61,821 | 24.2% | 1.08 |
| Middle Atlantic | $61,726 | 17.0% | 1.14 |
| Great Lakes | $61,714 | 14.0% | 0.99 |
| Southwest | $61,187 | 10.3% | 0.88 |
| New England | $60,971 | 6.3% | 1.46 |
| Rocky Mountains | $59,355 | 4.1% | 1.16 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | LA | $72,500 | 50 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | NC | $69,760 | 30 |
| St. Cloud, MN | MN | $68,680 | 50 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | NC | $68,120 | 80 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $67,830 | 50 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | SC | $67,830 | 50 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | TX | $67,830 | 90 |
| Florence, SC | SC | $67,320 | 40 |
Top Industries Employing Postal Service Clerks
Most postal service clerks are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 78,060 | $61,630 |
Postal Service Clerks work in the following industries:
Software Postal Service Clerks Use
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for postal service clerks tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Spend Time Standing
- Physical Proximity
Getting Started in This Career
Most postal service clerks positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Postmasters and Mail Superintendents (Primary-Short)
- Cashiers (Supplemental)
- Counter and Rental Clerks (Supplemental)
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service (Supplemental)
- Billing and Posting Clerks (Supplemental)
- Procurement Clerks (Supplemental)
- Tellers (Supplemental)
- File Clerks (Supplemental)
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-5051.00 (Postal Service Clerks).
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