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Salary comparison

Postal Service Mail Carriers vs. Office Clerks, General: Who Earns More?

Postal Service Mail Carriers out-earn Office Clerks, General by $16K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Postal Service Mail Carriers land at $60,550 and Office Clerks, General at $45,010. The education gap is real: postal service mail carrier programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while office clerks, general programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Postal Service Mail Carriers is District of Columbia ($64,250); for Office Clerks, General it's District of Columbia ($55,040).

Postal Service Mail Carriers
Office Clerks, General
Median salary
$60,550
$45,010
Hourly rate
$29.11/hr
$21.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$42,390
$30,310
Senior level (90th %)
$81,040
$64,680
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
328,820
2,464,940
Job growth (10-year)
-3.5%
-6.7%
Category
Office & Admin
Office & Admin
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Postal Service Mail Carriers median pay.

State
Postal Service Mail Carriers
Office Clerks, General
District of Columbia
$64,250
$55,040
Rhode Island
$63,610
$47,830
California
$62,090
$48,460
Massachusetts
$62,070
$49,940
Maryland
$62,070
$47,270
New Jersey
$61,130
$48,570
Connecticut
$61,130
$48,280
Washington
$59,990
$50,500
New Hampshire
$59,990
$49,020
Minnesota
$59,990
$47,840
Colorado
$59,880
$53,550
Alaska
$59,880
$51,890
Oregon
$59,400
$49,910
North Dakota
$59,010
$50,160
Vermont
$59,010
$48,310

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Postal Service Mail Carriers or Office Clerks, General?

Postal Service Mail Carriers earn more nationally. The median is $60,550 for Postal Service Mail Carriers versus $45,010 for Office Clerks, General, a difference of $16K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Postal Service Mail Carriers or Office Clerks, General?

Postal Service Mail Carriers has the better 10-year outlook at -3.5% projected growth, compared to -6.7% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Postal Service Mail Carriers or Office Clerks, General?

Postal Service Mail Carriers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Office Clerks, General requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Postal Service Mail Carriers get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Postal Service Mail Carriers at $64,250/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Postal Service Mail Carriers vs. Office Clerks, General pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Postal Service Mail Carriers earn $64,250 vs. $55,040 for Office Clerks, General. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Postal Service Mail Carriers salary breakdownView →Full Office Clerks, General salary breakdownView →Best cities for Postal Service Mail Carriers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Office Clerks, General by take-home payExplore →How to become a postal service mail carriersGuide →How to become a office clerks, generalGuide →