Post Office Clerk Salary: What You’ll Make and Why
Post office clerks make around $38,872 to $51,974 on average in the US, depending on experience, location, skills, and other factors.
According to various salary aggregate websites, a post office clerk’s salary in the US ranges between $38,872 and $51,974, with an average salary of $42,316. As of June 2022, the base salaries for post office clerks are listed as follows:
| Payscale | ZipRecruiter | Indeed | Salary.com | Glassdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $39,200 | $39,646 | $38,872 | $41,886 | $51,974 |
Keep in mind: Salary aggregate websites typically rely on data submitted anonymously by individuals using their site. Some websites may have received larger amounts of data of either higher or lower than average salaries, which may affect the site’s calculated average.
Read more: What Is a Post Office Clerk? How to Become One
What influences a salary?
The salary of a Post Office Clerk is determined by a variety of factors, including the size of the post office, the location of the post office, the type of post office, and the experience of the Post Office Clerk.
Years of experience
Salary increases are generally tied to your experience level. In general, the more years you spend working as a post office clerk, the more you can expect to earn. Here’s how experience can impact your post office clerk salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey.
| Level of experience | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (less than 1 year) | $34,170 |
| Early career (1 to 4 years) | $37,234 |
| Mid career (5 to 9 years) | $43,564 |
| Experienced (10 to 19 years) | $52,060 |
| Late career (20+ years) | $53,109 |
Location
Where you live can also impact how much you can make as a post office clerk. Typically, working in a large metropolitan area correlates to a higher salary, as well as a higher cost of living.
Here is a list of some major cities with their corresponding average post office clerk salary according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $45,233 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $44,944 |
| Charlotte, NC | $44,886 |
| Denver, CO | $44,671 |
| Boston, MA | $44,365 |
| New Orleans, LA | $41,489 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $41,382 |
| St. Louis, MO | $41,134 |
| Columbus, OH | $40,795 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $39,605 |
How does this compare to similar jobs?
Here’s how a post office clerk’s salary stacks up against similar jobs.
| Related Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Postal Service Clerk | $38,186 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $38,266 |
| Postal Service Mail Processor | $35,838 |
| Postal Service Distribution Clerk | $37,285 |
| Courier | $33,699 |
| Office Clerk | $30,200 |
| Data Entry Clerk | $39,571 |
| File Clerk | $29,424 |
| Receptionist | $29,500 |
How to increase your post office clerk salary
Now that you have a better idea of what you could expect to earn as a post office clerk, let’s look at ways to boost your salary.
1. Strengthen your skills
Pursuing and improving in-demand skills could make you more competitive for promotions and higher-paying positions. These skills include:
- Data Entry: Enter data quickly and accurately into postal system databases
- Scanning: Use scanners to track packages and mail
- Sorting: Sort mail and packages by destination
- Labeling: Label mail and packages with the correct postage
- Weighing: Weigh mail and packages to determine the correct postage
2. Negotiate your job offer
When you’re offered a job at the post office, be sure to negotiate your salary. This is especially important if you’re offered a job that’s above your current pay grade. It’s also important to keep in mind that the post office is a government institution, so there may be limits to how much you can negotiate.
3. Take more responsibilities
One way to increase your salary as a post office clerk is to take on more responsibilities. This could involve training new employees, working overtime or taking on a leadership role. By showing your value to the company, you may be able to negotiate a higher salary.
Article Sources
1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “National Compensation Survey, https://www.bls.gov/ncs/.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
2. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes435051.htm.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
3. Payscale. “Mailroom Clerk Hourly Pay, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Mailroom_Clerk/Hourly_Rate.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
4. Ziprecruiter. “POST Office Clerk Annual Salary, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/POST-Office-Clerk-Salary.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
5. Indeed. “Indeed Salary Finder, https://www.indeed.com/career/salaries.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
6. Salary.com. “Post Office Clerk Salary, https://www.salary.com/research/salary/position/post-office-clerk-salary.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
7. Glassdoor. “Post Office Clerk Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/post-office-clerk-salary-SRCH_KO0,17.htm.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
