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Postal Service Mail Carriers: Career Overview
Sort and deliver mail for the United States Postal Service (USPS). Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot. Includes postal service mail carriers employed by USPS contractors.
What Tasks Do Postal Service Mail Carriers Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of postal service mail carriers include:
- Scan labels on letters or parcels to confirm receipt.
- Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.
- Return to the post office with mail collected from homes, businesses, and public mailboxes.
- Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence.
- Deliver mail to residences and business establishments along specified routes by walking or driving, using a combination of satchels, carts, cars, and small trucks.
- Meet schedules for the collection and return of mail.
- Sign for cash-on-delivery and registered mail before leaving the post office.
- Hold mail for customers who are away from delivery locations.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective postal service mail carriers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Carrier
- Carrier Associate
- Carrier Driver
- City Carrier
- City Carrier Assistant (CCA)
- City Letter Carrier
- City Mail Carrier
- Clerk Carrier
How Many Postal Service Mail Carriers Are There?
There are about 195,931 postal service mail carriers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -2.2% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Postal Service Mail Carriers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $63,650 |
| Hourly median | $30.60 |
| 10th percentile | $37,105 |
| 25th percentile | $50,378 |
| 75th percentile | $76,923 |
| 90th percentile | $90,195 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| South Dakota | $59,320 |
| Massachusetts | $59,010 |
| Arizona | $58,570 |
| California | $58,390 |
| Nevada | $58,390 |
| Washington | $58,390 |
| Illinois | $58,390 |
| District of Columbia | $58,390 |
| Maryland | $58,390 |
| New York | $58,390 |
| Rhode Island | $58,390 |
| Utah | $58,390 |
| Florida | $58,390 |
| Virginia | $58,390 |
| Texas | $58,390 |
| Minnesota | $58,390 |
| Nebraska | $58,390 |
| Indiana | $57,910 |
| Iowa | $57,820 |
| Ohio | $57,490 |
| New Jersey | $57,490 |
| Oklahoma | $57,490 |
| North Dakota | $57,490 |
| Wisconsin | $57,470 |
| Connecticut | $57,470 |
| New Hampshire | $57,470 |
| North Carolina | $57,200 |
| Tennessee | $57,030 |
| Delaware | $56,660 |
| Arkansas | $56,560 |
| Michigan | $56,450 |
| Missouri | $56,450 |
| Oregon | $56,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,330 |
| Maine | $56,330 |
| Vermont | $56,330 |
| Colorado | $56,330 |
| Montana | $56,330 |
| Kentucky | $56,330 |
| Kansas | $56,330 |
| Idaho | $55,930 |
| Louisiana | $55,930 |
| South Carolina | $55,930 |
| West Virginia | $55,540 |
| New Mexico | $55,540 |
| Alabama | $55,200 |
| Alaska | $54,270 |
| Hawaii | $54,270 |
| Puerto Rico | $54,270 |
| Wyoming | $54,270 |
| Georgia | $54,270 |
| Mississippi | $53,600 |
| Virgin Islands | $52,210 |
| Guam | $50,210 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for postal service mail carriers vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest | $58,195 | 11.4% | 0.91 |
| Far Western US | $58,074 | 14.2% | 0.85 |
| New England | $58,056 | 5.2% | 1.09 |
| Middle Atlantic | $57,637 | 16.1% | 1.06 |
| Great Lakes | $57,564 | 16.0% | 1.13 |
| Plains States | $57,421 | 7.2% | 1.05 |
| Southeast | $56,684 | 26.4% | 1.08 |
| Rocky Mountains | $56,652 | 3.1% | 0.79 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria, TX | TX | $65,490 | 100 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | ND | $64,540 | 240 |
| Lincoln, NE | NE | $64,540 | 300 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $64,540 | 130 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $64,540 | 660 |
| Lawrence, KS | KS | $64,500 | 100 |
| Enid, OK | OK | $64,180 | 60 |
| Bozeman, MT | MT | $63,390 | 70 |
Which Industries Hire Postal Service Mail Carriers
The largest employers of postal service mail carriers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 336,040 | $57,490 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of postal service mail carriers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
Education and Training
Most postal service mail carriers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Supplemental)
- Postmasters and Mail Superintendents (Primary-Long)
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops (Supplemental)
- Counter and Rental Clerks (Supplemental)
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service (Supplemental)
- Customer Service Representatives (Supplemental)
- Order Clerks (Supplemental)
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks (Supplemental)
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers).
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