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Boston Career Explorer

Office and Administrative Support

Postal Service Clerks

Perform 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.

Also called: Bulk Mail Technician, Clerk, Distribution Clerk, Part Time Flexible Clerk (PTF Clerk), Postal Clerk, Sales and Distribution Clerk

Median pay in Greater Boston
$62,610
$30.10/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,270
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−0.7%
260 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
No formal educational credential
plus Short-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$54,330$57,430$62,610$71,470$75,030

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Weigh letters and parcels, compute mailing costs based on type, weight, and destination, and affix correct postage.
  • Check mail to ensure correct postage and that packages and letters are in proper condition for mailing.
  • Sort incoming and outgoing mail, according to type and destination, by hand or by operating electronic mail-sorting and scanning devices.
  • Obtain signatures from recipients of registered or special delivery mail.
  • Answer questions regarding mail regulations and procedures, postage rates, and post office boxes.
  • Transport mail from one work station to another.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure39 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 33
  • Language-model AIOE 38
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 46

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is moderate, and observed AI use is little or none so far. Tools could help with computing postage, sorting, and answering common questions about rates and rules. Handling parcels, checking their condition, and helping customers face to face at the counter still rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Computing postage and mailing costs
  • Sorting mail and answering routine rate questions

Still relies on people

  • Helping customers face to face at the counter
  • Checking packages and obtaining signatures

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

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