Career comparison
Mail Clerk vs. Shipping and Receiving Clerk
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Shipping and receiving clerks earn more at the median ($45,260 vs. $39,280), while shipping and receiving clerks usually get to work faster (1–4 weeks of training). Mail clerks sort, process and deliver mail and packages inside an organization. Shipping and receiving clerks track what comes in and goes out of warehouses, stores and plants.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Mail Clerk | Shipping and Receiving Clerk | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $39,280 ($18.89/hr) | $45,260 ($21.76/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $30,780 – $54,820 | $34,650 – $62,190 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -7.2% (a projected decline) | -7.6% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 4,700 | 61,300 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | A few weeks on the job | 1–4 weeks |
| Key credential | USPS bulk mail training | Forklift operator training |
| Work setting | Mail clerks work in mailrooms of companies, hospitals, universities and print shops.. | Clerks work in warehouses, distribution centers, plants and stores, at docks and desks. |
What each job does
Mail Clerk
- Sort incoming mail
- Deliver mail and packages
- Run postage meters
- Operate folding and inserting machines
- Prepare bulk mailings
Shipping and Receiving Clerk
- Check incoming shipments against paperwork
- Record receipts in inventory systems
- Report damages, shortages and overages
- Prepare and label outgoing shipments
- Create bills of lading and shipping documents
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work, steady routines, and indoor work. They sit in different fields, business & office and transportation & logistics, but share transferable skills such as reliability and accuracy.
Which should you choose?
Choose mail clerk if…
- I like moving around
- I’m organized
- I’m reliable
Choose shipping and receiving clerk if…
- I’m accurate with numbers and details
- I like organizing things
- I don’t mind physical work
Still torn? Take the Mail Clerk fit quiz and the Shipping and Receiving Clerk fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, mail clerk or shipping and receiving clerk?
Shipping and Receiving Clerks earn more at the median: $45,260 versus $39,280 for mail clerks, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Shipping and Receiving Clerks typically train faster (1–4 weeks) than mail clerks (A few weeks on the job).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects mail clerks to grow -7.2% from 2025–35, compared with -7.6% for shipping and receiving clerks.