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.

What you'd actually 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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

You're around people constantly. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of postal service clerks are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are organized and detail-focused and hands-on.

Related careers

• Brokerage Clerks
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
• Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
• Postal Service Mail Carriers
• Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

Quick questions

How much does a postal service clerk make?

The median pay is $29.87 per hour — roughly $62,000 a year, with the real range running from about $20.48/hr (10th percentile) to $36.07/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a postal service clerk?

The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a postal service clerk actually do all day?

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.