USPS shipping rates from PA post offices increased this week. Here’s how much
Increased U.S. Postal Service shipping costs took effect Monday as part of what the agency said is a regular adjustment of prices to keep up with “market conditions.”
The hikes come as the agency reports a net loss of $9 billion.
“To correct our financial imbalances, we must explore new revenue opportunities and public policy changes to improve our business model,” Postmaster General David Steiner said in a November news release. “Most importantly, we must operate more efficiently and compete more effectively to best perform our public service mission.”
The price of stamps, the USPS noted, will stay the same. Here’s what to know about new prices at your Pennsylvania post office and nationwide.
How much did USPS shipping costs increase?
The USPS said Ground Advantage costs were increased on average by 7.8%, Priority Mail by 6.6%, Parcel Select by 6%, Priority Mail Express by 5.1% and Connect Local by 4.9%. The actual percentage increase varies by weight.
That means a package weighing 7 ounces — roughly the weight of an iPhone — shipped from State College to Harrisburg now costs $7.45 with Ground Advantage, the most affordable option for smaller items. Before the increase, it would have cost $7.30 to ship outside the holiday season.
The other price increases will largely affect business owners and those who need to ship items quickly. The flat rate for a small package shipped with Connect Local, which allows same-day or next-day local shipping, rose from $4.15 to $4.28 for regional shipments.
The percentage by which rates were increased this week is a jump from the same time last year. From 2024 to 2025, Ground Advantage increased on average by 3.9%, Priority Mail by 3.2%, Priority Mail Express by 3.2% and Parcel Select by 9.2%.
Another USPS change: postmarks
In addition, a new rule went into effect Dec. 24, 2025, clarifying that postmarks show when a mailpiece was processed by the post office, not when it was received.
That means time-sensitive documents, like bills and taxes, may need to be dropped off earlier to ensure a postmark by a desired date.
To make sure the date on the postmark matches the date of mailing, customers may request a manual, or local, postmark “at the retail counter when tendering their mailpiece,” according to the USPS. The postmarks will be applied free of charge, it clarified.
