What is a Postal Service Mail Carrier?
Position Description Sort mail for delivery. Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot.
A Day in the Life of a Postal Service Mail Carrier
- Travel to post offices to pick up the mail for routes or pick up mail from postal relay boxes.
- Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence.
- Report any unusual circumstances concerning mail delivery, including the condition of street letter boxes.
- Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.
- Meet schedules for the collection and return of mail.
- Return incorrectly addressed mail to senders.
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What a Postal Service Mail Carrier Should Know
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.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Special Delivery Mail Carrier
- Special Delivery Messenger
- Delivery and Mail Sorter
- Rural Carrier Associate (RCA)
- Mail Carrier and Clerk
Job Demand for Postal Service Mail Carriers
In the United States, there were 316,700 jobs for Postal Service Mail Carrier in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Postal Service Mail Carrier. The BLS estimates 16,100 yearly job openings in this field.
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.
Average Postal Service Mail Carriers Salary
The average yearly salary of a Postal Service Mail Carrier ranges between $36,990 and $63,970.
Postal Service Mail Carriers who work in California, Hawaii, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Postal Service Mail Carriers 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 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 do I Become a Postal Service Mail Carrier?
Individuals working as a Postal Service Mail Carrier have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Postal Service Mail Carriers Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Similar Careers
Are you already one of the many Postal Service Mail Carrier in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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