Postal Service Clerks
Also called: Clerk, Postal Clerk, Sales and Service Associate (SSA), Window ClerkPerform 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 7 of its 19 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 0.3% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.0% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.0 hires for every 10 job openings in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, which employs about 100% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $61,640 | $55,660 to $70,780 | 1,240 |
| Alaska | $57,820 | $36,360 to $62,610 | 410 |
| Arizona | $61,710 | $56,740 to $70,780 | 1,190 |
| Arkansas | $59,490 | $42,600 to $69,850 | 970 |
| California | $63,650 | $57,430 to $75,030 | 6,410 |
| Colorado | $60,530 | $56,390 to $68,810 | 1,230 |
| Connecticut | $62,130 | $57,430 to $69,850 | 860 |
| Delaware | $61,710 | $56,740 to $75,030 | 230 |
| District of Columbia | $67,790 | $59,490 to $75,030 | 110 |
| Florida | $62,610 | $56,390 to $71,930 | 3,540 |
| Georgia | $62,610 | $56,390 to $72,950 | 2,070 |
| Guam | $68,810 | $60,530 to $75,030 | 30 |
| Hawaii | $63,650 | $57,820 to $75,030 | 430 |
| Idaho | $60,530 | $55,350 to $69,850 | 480 |
| Illinois | $61,710 | $56,390 to $71,860 | 2,720 |
| Indiana | $61,710 | $56,390 to $69,850 | 1,520 |
| Iowa | $59,970 | $42,600 to $68,810 | 1,190 |
| Kansas | $60,530 | $54,330 to $68,810 | 1,290 |
| Kentucky | $62,610 | $56,390 to $71,860 | 1,220 |
| Louisiana | $63,210 | $56,390 to $75,030 | 1,100 |
| Maine | $62,130 | $56,740 to $68,810 | 670 |
| Maryland | $63,210 | $57,430 to $75,030 | 1,240 |
| Massachusetts | $62,610 | $57,820 to $71,180 | 1,950 |
| Michigan | $63,650 | $57,820 to $71,930 | 2,340 |
| Minnesota | $61,050 | $56,740 to $69,510 | 1,380 |
| Mississippi | $61,050 | $55,350 to $69,850 | 790 |
| Missouri | $59,970 | $42,600 to $69,510 | 1,780 |
| Montana | $58,470 | $42,600 to $67,540 | 510 |
| Nebraska | $59,490 | $42,600 to $68,810 | 690 |
| Nevada | $62,610 | $57,430 to $71,470 | 460 |
| New Hampshire | $62,610 | $57,820 to $69,850 | 500 |
| New Jersey | $64,290 | $57,820 to $75,030 | 2,230 |
| New Mexico | $59,970 | $54,330 to $69,850 | 660 |
| New York | $62,690 | $57,430 to $71,930 | 5,030 |
| North Carolina | $64,290 | $58,470 to $72,950 | 2,070 |
| North Dakota | $57,820 | $42,600 to $67,540 | 330 |
| Ohio | $62,690 | $56,740 to $69,850 | 2,430 |
| Oklahoma | $59,490 | $42,600 to $69,850 | 1,040 |
| Oregon | $60,530 | $56,390 to $69,850 | 960 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,050 | $56,390 to $69,700 | 3,650 |
| Puerto Rico | $62,610 | $58,470 to $69,850 | 670 |
| Rhode Island | $61,570 | $56,740 to $68,620 | 250 |
| South Carolina | $62,610 | $57,430 to $70,890 | 960 |
| South Dakota | $58,470 | $42,600 to $67,790 | 390 |
| Tennessee | $63,210 | $56,740 to $71,860 | 1,330 |
| Texas | $62,610 | $56,390 to $74,030 | 4,900 |
| Utah | $60,530 | $55,350 to $69,850 | 620 |
| Vermont | $61,050 | $56,740 to $68,810 | 400 |
| Virgin Islands | $63,660 | $56,390 to $75,030 | 60 |
| Virginia | $62,610 | $56,740 to $71,860 | 1,980 |
| Washington | $61,570 | $56,740 to $70,780 | 1,460 |
| West Virginia | $61,050 | $42,600 to $70,780 | 890 |
| Wisconsin | $61,050 | $56,740 to $69,700 | 1,400 |
| Wyoming | $59,970 | $54,330 to $69,850 | 250 |
Nationally: $62,130. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 7 of its 19 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Check mail to ensure correct postage and that packages and letters are in proper condition for mailing. | Not published |
| AI alone | Answer questions regarding mail regulations and procedures, postage rates, and post office boxes. | Not published |
| AI + software | Weigh letters and parcels, compute mailing costs based on type, weight, and destination, and affix correct postage. | Not published |
| Not much | Sort incoming and outgoing mail, according to type and destination, by hand or by operating electronic mail-sorting and scanning devices. | Not published |
| Not much | Transport mail from one work station to another. | Not published |
| Not much | Obtain signatures from recipients of registered or special delivery mail. | Not published |
See all 19 tasks
| Not much | Receive letters and parcels, and place mail into bags. | Not published |
| AI + software | Keep money drawers in order, and record and balance daily transactions. | Not published |
| Not much | Sell and collect payment for products such as stamps, prepaid mail envelopes, and money orders. | Not published |
| Not much | Put undelivered parcels away, retrieve them when customers come to claim them, and complete any related documentation. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide assistance to the public in complying with federal regulations of Postal Service and other federal agencies. | Not published |
| Not much | Register, certify, and insure letters and parcels. | Not published |
| AI alone | Complete forms regarding changes of address, or theft or loss of mail, or for special services such as registered or priority mail. | Not published |
| AI alone | Respond to complaints regarding mail theft, delivery problems, and lost or damaged mail, filling out forms and making appropriate referrals for investigation. | Not published |
| AI + software | Rent post office boxes to customers. | Not published |
| Not much | Cash money orders. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide customers with assistance in filing claims for mail theft, or lost or damaged mail. | Not published |
| Not much | Order retail items and other supplies for office use. | Not published |
| Not much | Feed mail into postage canceling devices or hand stamp mail to cancel postage. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 19 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 19 tasks fall under 19 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #3 Respond to customer problems or inquiries
- #12 Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
- #24 Assist others to access additional services or resources
- and 2 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assist individuals with paperwork | |||
| Execute financial transactions | |||
| Sell products or services | |||
| Process shipments or mail | |||
| Respond to customer problems or inquiries | |||
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures | |||
| Assist others to access additional services or resources | |||
| Purchase goods or services |
Show all 19 activities
| Determine values or prices of goods or services | |||
| Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance | |||
| Obtain formal documentation or authorization | |||
| Prepare documentation for contracts, applications, or permits | |||
| Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment | |||
| Sort materials or products | |||
| Maintain sales or financial records | |||
| Move materials, equipment, or supplies | |||
| Collect fares or payments | |||
| Stock supplies or products | |||
| Load products, materials, or equipment for transportation or further processing |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for postal service clerks specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 7,321 moves out
- 1 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 6%
- 2 Personal Care Aides 5%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 5%
- 4 Sales Managers High +4.5% 5%
- 5 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 9,532 moves in
- 1 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 8%
- 2 Personal Care Aides 4%
- 3 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 4%
- 4 Cashiers High -6.5% 4%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 8% less than high school
- 68% high school
- 7% postsecondary certificate
- 18% some college
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 31 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 4% less than high school
- 36% high school
- 31% some college
- 13% associate's
- 14% bachelor's
- 1% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 1,224 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (POST OFFICE CLERK). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Postal Service Clerks” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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