Career comparison
Postal Clerk vs. Postmaster
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Postmasters earn more at the median ($96,660 vs. $62,130), while postal clerks usually get to work faster (A few weeks of training of training). Postal clerks serve customers at the post office counter and sort mail. Postmasters run a post office and its mail delivery operations.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Postal Clerk | Postmaster | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $62,130 ($29.87/hr) | $96,660 ($46.47/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $42,600 – $75,030 | $85,090 – $111,740 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -0.3% (little or no change) | -0.3% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 5,300 | 900 |
| Typical entry education | No formal educational credential | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | A few weeks of training | Postal experience plus management training |
| Key credential | USPS retail training | USPS management training |
| Work setting | Clerks work in post offices.. | Postmasters work in post offices.. |
What each job does
Postal Clerk
- Serve customers
- Sell stamps and money orders
- Weigh packages
- Explain mailing options
- Sort mail
Postmaster
- Supervise clerks and carriers
- Manage mail flow
- Oversee routes
- Handle customer issues
- Manage budgets
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, steady routines, and helping others. Both are part of the transportation & logistics field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose postal clerk if…
- I like helping customers
- I’m accurate with money
- I can stand
Choose postmaster if…
- I work for or want to join USPS
- I like leading teams
- I’m organized
Still torn? Take the Postal Clerk fit quiz and the Postmaster fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, postal clerk or postmaster?
Postmasters earn more at the median: $96,660 versus $62,130 for postal clerks, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Postal Clerks typically train faster (A few weeks of training) than postmasters (Postal experience plus management training).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects postal clerks to grow -0.3% from 2025–35, compared with -0.3% for postmasters.