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Postal Service Mail Carrier

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All About Postal Service Mail Carriers

Job Description: Sort mail for delivery. Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot.

Life As a Postal Service Mail Carrier: What Do They Do?

  • Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence.
  • Sign for cash-on-delivery and registered mail before leaving the post office.
  • Sell stamps and money orders.
  • Record address changes and redirect mail for those addresses.
  • Return incorrectly addressed mail to senders.
  • Travel to post offices to pick up the mail for routes or pick up mail from postal relay boxes.

Postal Service Mail Carrier Required Skills

When polled, Postal Service Mail Carriers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

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 Jobs

  • City Letter Carrier
  • Rural Route Mail Carrier
  • Mailman
  • USPS Letter Carrier (United States Postal Service Letter Carrier)
  • Mail Carrier Technician

Are There Job Opportunities for Postal Service Mail Carriers?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 316,700 jobs in the United States for Postal Service Mail Carrier. 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.

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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.

How Much Does a Postal Service Mail Carrier Make?

The average yearly salary of a Postal Service Mail Carrier ranges between $36,990 and $63,970.

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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 each U.S. state?

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

Tools & Technologies Used by Postal Service Mail Carriers

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:

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What work experience do I need to become a Postal Service Mail Carrier?

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Postal Service Mail Carriers Sector

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The table below shows the approximate number of Postal Service Mail Carriers employed by various industries.

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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:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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