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Mail clerk

Also called mail sorter, sorting clerk, mail room clerk

Mail clerks perform mail handling, sorting, recording and other duties in connection with mail services from post offices or related organisations. They keep records of the incoming and outgoing packages and letters in the establishment.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospectsFewer people are expected to do this work by 2035.Other clerical support workersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €1,100 (Bulgaria) to €5,000 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Other clerical support workersWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational5 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training.Other clerical support workersWill AI change it?ModeratelyLevel 4 of 6. AI could take on part of most tasks, but none fully.Mail carriers and sorting clerks · ILO

What you'd do

Mail carriers and sorting clerks · ILO
  • Performing mail-handling duties in public post offices or privately owned delivery establishments
  • Sorting and delivering mail to private houses and businesses
  • Providing delivery confirmation records when requested by the client
  • Sorting and keeping simple records of incoming and outgoing correspondence and dispatching outgoing mail in various establishments
Handle mailOperate mailing information systemsEnsure the integrity of mailOrganise mail deliveriesDifferentiate types of packages+ 10 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Very repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as other clerical support workers in the EU
1.69m1.67m1.11m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035

More people will leave this work than new people are needed.

Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Other clerical support workers-1
All jobs29
Right now
8 of 27 countries report a shortage of mail carriers and sorting clerks, 9 a surplus.
Mail carriers and sorting clerks · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,100 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,000 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among clerical support workers in the EU, women earn 9% less per hour than men. Clerical support workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training is the usual route.

Highest qualification of other clerical support workers (EU, 2025)
Degree 37%Vocational 37%General secondary 14%Basic schooling 11%

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Moderately

AI could take on part of most tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.41 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 4 tasks
Providing delivery confirmation records when requested by the client0.56
Sorting and keeping simple records of incoming and outgoing correspondence and dispatching outgoing mail in various establishments0.51
Performing mail-handling duties in public post offices or privately owned delivery establishments0.30
Sorting and delivering mail to private houses and businesses0.25

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for mail carriers and sorting clerks. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).