Postal Workers are in demand for their strong customer service skills. They are responsible for ensuring the safe delivery of mail and packages through local routes from one mailing facility to another.
The average starting salary for postal workers is $44,000 a year. This does not include bonuses or benefits. The job of a mail carrier requires a person to spend hours walking on their feet in order to deliver letters, parcels and packages to people’s doorsteps each day.
Starting Salary For Postal Worker Overview
If you’re considering a career with the United States Postal Service (USPS), you’ll need to know how much postal workers get paid.
How much does the post office pay per hour?
As of July 1, 2022, the USPS will pay its employees an hourly wage of $26.36 per hour. The federal government has set this rate as a minimum standard for all unionized employees, including letter carriers and mail handlers. This is a slight increase from their previous pay rate of $25.77 per hour.
In addition to this hourly wage, they also receive benefits such as health care, retirement plans, and bonuses based on seniority or performance. The cost of living in your area will also affect how much money you take home each month after taxes are withheld from your paycheck. For example: If you live in California where housing costs are high then you may need more money than someone who lives in Texas where housing costs are low but utilities tend to be higher than in California because of colder weather conditions during winter months which leads to increased heating costs during those seasons (which could offset any savings made by living in Texas).
Starting Salary for Postal Workers
The U.S Postal Service employs over half a million workers, including letter carriers, handler and clerks. A post office salary can pay well, depending on the position, all of which play an integral part in making sure letters and packages are delivered to their intended recipients in good order. The USPS is an independent federal agency protected by the Constitution. Unlike other government agencies funded through tax revenues, it gets financial support from the sale of its products and services. USPS salaries vary from state to state for the same positions.
Postal Employee Salary: Mail Carrier
A mail carrier delivers letters and packages to homes and businesses in every part of the U.S., from rural areas and small towns to major metropolitan cities. Carriers travel planned routes on foot or in trucks and work six days a week in every kind of weather.
A mail carrier’s job is physical, as it requires the sorting and carrying of letters and parcels to their final destinations. A person in this position will load and unload crates of mail that can weigh up to 70 pounds.
In rural areas where there is no post office, customers may need their mail picked up to be delivered elsewhere or need other postal services fulfilled, such as the purchase of stamps or money orders. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma. This post office salary ranges from $16.24 to $28.02, with an average of $18.01 per hour, according to Payscale.com.
Postal Employee Salary: Mail Clerk
Mail clerks ensure the delivery of letters and packages to their intended destinations from inside the post office. They also sell stamps and make sure that the mail is separated and organized so carriers can deliver it to local customers efficiently. The process of sorting mail requires clerks to know how to load letters and packages onto automated equipment and organize it by specific methods required by the USPS.
A clerk’s work area is stocked with whatever supplies are needed to help sort mail or engage in customer interactions at a public window. In dealing with the public, patience, professionalism and other customer service skills are essential. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma. This post office salary ranges from $14.74 and $21.17, with an average salary of $16.72 per hour, according to Payscale.com.
Postal Employee Salary: Mail Handler
Mail handlers can work part or full time and often work on an as-needed basis – for example, during the holiday season. They, too, ensure letters and packages get to their proper destination on time and in good condition. They do not deal with the public; instead, they work at mail processing centers and larger post offices. A mail handler’s job is also very physical – handlers lift and transport large sacks of mail, unload trucks and sort letters and packages and pack them for delivery to other mail processing centers and post offices.
They cancel stamps, run canceling machines, operate forklifts and routinely inspect sorting equipment to make sure it is functioning correctly. They rewrap damaged packages and put processed mail in the appropriate sacks for delivery. Although they do not work with the general public, handlers must be able to communicate well and work effectively with others. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma. Payscale.com reports that this post office salary ranges from $13.67 to $24.51, with an average pay of $18.01 per hour.
