Careers / Postal Service Clerks

Postal Service Clerks — Career Decision Dashboard

United States

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Median annual wage

$62,130

United States, 2025

Employment

73,720

United States, 2025

Typical education

High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)

Job Zone 2

Skills identified

35

10 related careers

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.

O*NET code
43-5051.00
Job zone
2
Experience required
None

Typical tasks

  • Register, certify, and insure letters and parcels.
  • Keep money drawers in order, and record and balance daily transactions.
  • 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.

Choose a location

Salary analysis — United States

$42,600
10th
$56,740
25th
$62,130
Median
$70,890
75th
$75,030
90th

10th percentile

$42,600

25th percentile

$56,740

75th percentile

$70,890

90th percentile

$75,030

Most important skills

  • Active Listening3.4
  • Speaking3.3
  • Service Orientation3.1
  • Reading Comprehension3.1
  • Time Management3.0
  • Monitoring3.0
  • Critical Thinking3.0
  • Social Perceptiveness3.0
  • Writing2.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.9
  • Coordination2.8
  • Complex Problem Solving2.8

What skills do you need?

Select the skills you already have

Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.

Skill coverage

0%

0 of 8 identified skills

Matched

0

Missing

8

Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.

Skills to develop

SkillImportanceRequired levelYour levelGap
Active Listening3.43.1Not selected3.1
Speaking3.33.0Not selected3.0
Critical Thinking3.03.3Not selected3.3
Reading Comprehension3.13.1Not selected3.1
Service Orientation3.13.0Not selected3.0
Time Management3.02.6Not selected2.6
Monitoring3.02.5Not selected2.5
Social Perceptiveness3.02.4Not selected2.4

Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.

Related careers

How salary varies by location

LocationMedianEmploymentYear
Asheville, NC$69,700802025
Hattiesburg, MS$69,700402025
Merced, CA$69,160402025
Ann Arbor, MI$68,810502025
McAllen, TX$68,810902025
Johnson City, TN$68,810402025
GU$68,810302025
Hilton Head Island, SC$68,670502025
Florence, AL$68,620302025
Hickory, NC$68,540802025
Altoona, PA$68,540302025
DC$67,7901102025
Medford, OR$67,790502025
Morgantown, WV$67,660302025
Winston, NC$66,7501102025
Trenton, NJ$66,750702025
Yakima, WA$66,750502025
Greensboro, NC$66,7501202025
Cedar Rapids, IA$66,750702025
Spartanburg, SC$66,750702025
All locations with published data

Career transition paths

Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Postal Service Clerks to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.

Build a transition comparison

Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0.

Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).

Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.