Postal service clerks

Detailed Occupation

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2020 Workforce

120k

Average Age

48.4

Estimated Job Growth

−13.6%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$52,023

Average Male Salary

$56,438

Average Female Salary

$48,615

About

Postal service clerks are most often employed by the Postal Service industry. The average yearly wage for Postal service clerks was $52,023 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Postal service clerks by wage are Correctional officers and jailers, Biological technicians, and Machinists.

Postal service clerks are part of the Office & Administrative Support Occupations, along with Firstline supervisors of office & administrative support workers, Switchboard operators, including answering service, Telephone operators, Communications equipment operators, all other, Bill & account collectors, and 45 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Postal service clerks are St. Louis County (Northeast) PUMA, MO, Des Moines City PUMA, IA, and North & South Lawndale, Humboldt Park, East & West Garfield Park PUMA, IL. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Postal service clerks are St. Louis County (Northeast) PUMA, MO, North & South Lawndale, Humboldt Park, East & West Garfield Park PUMA, IL, and Thornton Township PUMA, IL.

Photo by Thomas Hawk

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Postal service clerks and on wages and locations for those in the field. Postal Service is the industry that employs the most Postal service clerks, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Postal service clerks, by average wage, is Postal Service. Postal service clerks are paid most in Grant & Kittitas Counties PUMA, WA but are relatively concentrated in St. Louis County (Northeast) PUMA, MO.

Yearly Wage

$52,023

AVERAGE SALARY

± $2,018

In 2020, Postal service clerks earned an average of $52,023, $3,931 less than than the average national salary of $55,954.

Correctional officers and jailers make somewhat more than Postal service clerks while Machinists make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Postal service clerks as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.198

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Postal service clerks had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.198, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Postal service clerks (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Postal service clerks.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Postal service clerks

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Postal service clerks.

Employment Over Time

120k

2020 Workforce

± 8,508

1.95%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 9.87%

The number of people employed as Postal service clerks has been growing at a rate of 1.95%, from 117,886 people in 2019 to 120,181 people in 2020.

This graphic shows how the number of Postal service clerks employed by the Postal Service industry has changed over time.

Diversity

Demographic information on Postal service clerks in the US. The average age of male Postal service clerks in the workforce is 49.4 and of female Postal service clerks is 47.7, and the most common race/ethnicity for Postal service clerks is White (Non-Hispanic).

Composition by Sex

52.4k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 5,617

67.8k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 6,392

56.4% of Postal service clerks are Female, making them the more common sex in the occupation. This chart shows the sex breakdown of Postal service clerks.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Postal service clerks

White (Non-Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)
Asian (Non-Hispanic)

45.3% of Postal service clerks are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 31.4% of Postal service clerks, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Postal service clerks.

Age by Sex

49.4

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 1.42

47.7

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 1.17

The median age of Postal service clerks is 48.4, and Male employees are generally 1.67 years older than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Postal service clerks from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Postal service clerks is Business but a relatively high number of Postal service clerks hold a major in Liberal Arts & Humanities.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Postal service clerks from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Postal service clerks need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Postal service clerks need more than the average amount of Service Orientation, Management of Financial Resources, and Mathematics.

Radar Distribution

Bar Chart

Projections

Projections on job growth for Postal Service Clerks from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Postal Service Clerks are expected to see a growth of −13.6% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow less than the national average.

Job Growth

−13.6%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Postal Service Clerks. This profession is expected to grow less than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.