What Do Postal Service Mail Carrier Do?
Postal Service Mail Carrier Definition Sort mail for delivery. Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot.
Postal Service Mail Carrier Responsibilities
- Turn in money and receipts collected along mail routes.
- Provide customers with change of address cards and other forms.
- Sell stamps and money orders.
- Bundle mail in preparation for delivery or transportation to relay boxes.
- Answer customers’ questions about postal services and regulations.
- Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.
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Things a Postal Service Mail Carrier Should Know How to Do
Postal Service Mail Carriers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Types of Postal Service Mail Carrier
- Mail Messenger
- Special Delivery Mail Carrier
- Rural Mail Carrier
- Postal Mail Carrier
- Rural Carrier Associate (RCA)
What Kind of Postal Service Mail Carrier Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 316,700 jobs for Postal Service Mail Carrier in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Postal Service Mail Carrier. There will be an estimated 16,100 positions for Postal Service Mail Carrier per year.

The states with the most job growth for Postal Service Mail Carrier are Utah, Texas, and Connecticut. Watch out if you plan on working in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Postal Service Mail Carrier
The salary for Postal Service Mail Carriers ranges between about $36,990 and $63,970 a year.

Postal Service Mail Carriers who work in California, Hawaii, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Postal Service Mail Carriers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $51,320 |
Alaska | $51,840 |
Arizona | $52,130 |
Arkansas | $51,050 |
California | $53,680 |
Colorado | $51,070 |
Connecticut | $52,150 |
Delaware | $51,890 |
District of Columbia | $53,250 |
Florida | $52,090 |
Georgia | $51,180 |
Hawaii | $54,190 |
Idaho | $50,610 |
Illinois | $52,090 |
Indiana | $51,300 |
Iowa | $51,350 |
Kansas | $50,580 |
Kentucky | $51,290 |
Louisiana | $50,840 |
Maine | $50,710 |
Maryland | $51,540 |
Massachusetts | $52,730 |
Michigan | $51,340 |
Minnesota | $51,610 |
Mississippi | $51,260 |
Missouri | $51,010 |
Montana | $50,260 |
Nebraska | $51,210 |
Nevada | $51,840 |
New Hampshire | $51,380 |
New Jersey | $52,890 |
New Mexico | $51,350 |
New York | $52,150 |
North Carolina | $51,300 |
North Dakota | $50,340 |
Ohio | $51,290 |
Oklahoma | $50,820 |
Oregon | $50,210 |
Pennsylvania | $51,540 |
Rhode Island | $51,210 |
South Carolina | $51,230 |
South Dakota | $51,040 |
Tennessee | $51,560 |
Texas | $51,620 |
Utah | $51,140 |
Vermont | $50,560 |
Virginia | $50,760 |
Washington | $51,530 |
West Virginia | $50,660 |
Wisconsin | $51,360 |
Wyoming | $49,860 |
What Tools & Technology do Postal Service Mail Carriers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Postal Service Mail Carriers:
- Microsoft Windows
- Time and Attendance Collection System TACS
- Delivery operations information system DOIS
- Electronic Time Clock ETC
- Address Management System AMS
- Delivery Routing System DRS
How to Become a Postal Service Mail Carrier
What education or degrees do I need to become a Postal Service Mail Carrier?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Postal Service Mail Carrier?

Where Postal Service Mail Carriers Are Employed

Postal Service Mail Carriers work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those who work as a Postal Service Mail Carrier sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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