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Postal Service Clerks Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 43-5051 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$62,130
$29.87/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Postal Service Clerks salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$43K
P25$57K
P50$62K
P75$71K
P90$75K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
⚡
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- the broader market openings are at 4.4% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in private industry are rising about 3.1% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.7-3.2% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $62,130 to $70,886 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Postal Service Clerks pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 0.8% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.1% wage growth of the broader market (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

the broader market is running a 4.4% job-openings rate with quits at 2.0% (BLS JOLTS).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 1.8 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is narrower than typical, so pay is fairly standardized; small differences move a candidate across the market.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: national job openings little changed at 7.4M (4.4% rate), hires flat at 5.3M, quits steady at 2.0%.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: national wages rose 3.2% over the year while CPI reached 3.5%, the first negative real-wage reading since 2022. Benefit costs accelerated to 3.8%.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Postal Service Clerks is $62,130 per year ($29.87/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $56,742 and $70,886 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $75,026 per year. There are approximately 73,720 postal service clerks employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

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.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-3.5%
Slower than average
Annual openings
6K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
74K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 1 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Postal Service (Federal Government)
NAICS 491100
74K$62,130

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$20.48$42,598
P25$27.28$56,742
P50MEDIAN$29.87$62,130
P75$34.08$70,886
P90$36.07$75,026

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%

The labor market stayed steady in June: job openings were little changed at 7.4M (rate 4.4%), hires held at 5.3M, and total separations changed little at 5.4M. Quits were 3.2M (rate 2.0%). Openings rose in transportation, warehousing & utilities (+97K) and fell in wholesale trade (-74K).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average postal service clerks salary?

The national median salary for Postal Service Clerks is $62,130 per year ($29.87/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $56,742 and $70,886 annually.

How much do top-earning postal service clerks make?

The 90th percentile salary for Postal Service Clerks is $75,026 per year ($36.07/hr). The 75th percentile is $70,886 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for postal service clerks?

Entry-level Postal Service Clerks (10th percentile) earn approximately $42,598 per year ($20.48/hr). The 25th percentile is $56,742 per year.

Related Salary Data

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Postal Service Clerks Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
California6,410 workersNew York5,030 workersTexas4,900 workersPennsylvania3,650 workersFlorida3,540 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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