Career comparison
Postal Mail Carrier vs. Shipping and Receiving Clerk
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Postal mail carriers earn more at the median ($60,550 vs. $45,260), while shipping and receiving clerks usually get to work faster (1–4 weeks of training). Postal mail carriers deliver mail and packages to homes and businesses for the U.S. Postal Service. 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
| Postal Mail Carrier | Shipping and Receiving Clerk | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $60,550 ($29.11/hr) | $45,260 ($21.76/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $42,390 – $81,040 | $34,650 – $62,190 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -0.3% (little or no change) | -7.6% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 19,600 | 61,300 |
| Typical entry education | No formal educational credential | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 2–4 weeks | 1–4 weeks |
| Key credential | Valid driver’s license | Forklift operator training |
| Work setting | Carriers work outdoors in all weather, walking long distances or driving postal vehicles. | Clerks work in warehouses, distribution centers, plants and stores, at docks and desks. |
What each job does
Postal Mail Carrier
- Sort and organize mail for the route
- Load and drive or walk the route
- Deliver mail and packages and scan deliveries
- Collect outgoing mail
- Obtain signatures for certified and registered mail
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 steady routines. Both are part of the transportation & logistics field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose postal mail carrier if…
- I like being outside
- I can walk or drive all day
- I like working on my own
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 Postal Mail Carrier fit quiz and the Shipping and Receiving Clerk fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, postal mail carrier or shipping and receiving clerk?
Postal Mail Carriers earn more at the median: $60,550 versus $45,260 for shipping and receiving 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 postal mail carriers (2–4 weeks).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects postal mail carriers to grow -0.3% from 2025–35, compared with -7.6% for shipping and receiving clerks.