Postal Service Clerks Salary
The median pay for a postal service clerks in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $63,650/year ($30.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $69,593 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About postal service clerks
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Postal service clerks pay in Chattanooga tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,390/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for postal service clerks in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $63K | $65K |
| Memphis | $63K | $68K |
| Knoxville | $64K | $69K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $61K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level postal service clerks (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Postal Service Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Postal Service Clerks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $68K | +9% | 110 |
| North Carolina | $64K | +3% | 2,070 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +3% | 2,230 |
| Michigan | $64K | +2% | 2,340 |
| California | $64K | +2% | 6,410 |
| Hawaii | $64K | +2% | 430 |
| Tennessee | $63K | +2% | 1,330 |
| Louisiana | $63K | +2% | 1,100 |
| Maryland | $63K | +2% | 1,240 |
| New York | $63K | +1% | 5,030 |
| Ohio | $63K | +1% | 2,430 |
| South Carolina | $63K | +1% | 960 |
| Texas | $63K | +1% | 4,900 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | +1% | 500 |
| Florida | $63K | +1% | 3,540 |
| Nevada | $63K | +1% | 460 |
| Virginia | $63K | +1% | 1,980 |
| Georgia | $63K | +1% | 2,070 |
| Kentucky | $63K | +1% | 1,220 |
| Massachusetts | $63K | +1% | 1,950 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +0% | 860 |
| Maine | $62K | +0% | 670 |
| Illinois | $62K | -1% | 2,720 |
| Arizona | $62K | -1% | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $62K | -1% | 230 |
| Indiana | $62K | -1% | 1,520 |
| Alabama | $62K | -1% | 1,240 |
| Washington | $62K | -1% | 1,460 |
| Rhode Island | $62K | -1% | 250 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -2% | 790 |
| Minnesota | $61K | -2% | 1,380 |
| Wisconsin | $61K | -2% | 1,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -2% | 3,650 |
| Vermont | $61K | -2% | 400 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -2% | 890 |
| Colorado | $61K | -3% | 1,230 |
| Kansas | $61K | -3% | 1,290 |
| Oregon | $61K | -3% | 960 |
| Idaho | $61K | -3% | 480 |
| Utah | $61K | -3% | 620 |
| Iowa | $60K | -3% | 1,190 |
| Wyoming | $60K | -3% | 250 |
| Missouri | $60K | -3% | 1,780 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -3% | 660 |
| Nebraska | $59K | -4% | 690 |
| Arkansas | $59K | -4% | 970 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | -4% | 1,040 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -6% | 390 |
| Montana | $58K | -6% | 510 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -7% | 330 |
| Alaska | $58K | -7% | 410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track postal service clerks salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a postal service clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 31.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for postal service clerks in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new postal service clerks typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,260/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is postal service clerk a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for postal service clerks?
Chattanooga pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do postal service clerks make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $63,650 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,330, and experienced postal service clerks can clear $76,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,430/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 31.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a postal service clerks salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median postal service clerks salary is worth about $69,593 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do postal service clerks get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.