Postal Service Clerks
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $62,130
- Projected change
- −1.9%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 70.2K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
75.3% of the workforce
Growing to 68.88K by 2035
Explore this career by location
Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.
Showing United States
Loading available locations…
Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
The work
What postal service clerks do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $42,598
- 25th percentile
- $56,742
- 50th percentile
- $62,130
- 75th percentile
- $70,886
- 90th percentile
- $75,026
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $62,130 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
1,317 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 75.3%
- Some college
- 17.9%
- Certificate
- 6.8%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01City Carrier Assistants5,899 postings
- 02Postal Clerks1,193 postings
- 03Package Handlers768 postings
- 04Rural Carrier Associates677 postings
- 05Mailroom Clerks566 postings
- 06Switchers500 postings
- 07Rural Carriers495 postings
- 08Rural Carrier Associates/Service Regular Route456 postings
- 09Delivery Coordinators217 postings
- 10Mailroom Associates214 postings
- 11Warehouse Package Handlers181 postings
- 12Resort Associates147 postings
- 13Mailroom Assistants129 postings
- 14Checkers122 postings
- 15Footwear Managers119 postings
- 16Newspaper Carriers114 postings
- 17Office Services Associates112 postings
- 18Benefits Clerks101 postings
- 19Sorters101 postings
- 20Delivery Helpers100 postings
Top employers
- 01United States Postal Service8,401 postings
- 02FedEx941 postings
- 03Postal Source315 postings
- 04Randstad308 postings
- 05Aerotek192 postings
- 06OnTrac142 postings
- 07Robert Half140 postings
- 08Dick's Sporting Goods121 postings
- 09Canon107 postings
- 10Adecco103 postings
- 11Spee-Dee Delivery102 postings
- 12QXO95 postings
- 13ManpowerGroup94 postings
- 14AppleOne92 postings
- 15UPS88 postings
- 16Deutsche Post DHL Group82 postings
- 17TEKsystems80 postings
- 18Accendra Health77 postings
- 19Consolidated Agency72 postings
- 20R.R. Donnelley & Sons65 postings
Keep looking
Related careers
Accountants and Auditors
- Median pay
- $83,670
- Employment outlook
- +7.4%
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
- Median pay
- $117,853
- Employment outlook
- +2.5%
Administrative Services Managers
- Median pay
- $113,973
- Employment outlook
- +8.3%
Climate Change Policy Analysts
- Median pay
- $82,282
- Employment outlook
- +7.7%