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.

Also Known As

• City Letter Carrier
• Letter Carrier
• Mail Carrier
• Rural Carrier Associate (RCA)

Alternate Job Titles

• Carrier
• Carrier Associate
• Carrier Driver
• City Carrier
• City Carrier Assistant (CCA)
• City Letter Carrier
• City Mail Carrier
• Clerk Carrier
• Collector
• Delivery and Mail Sorter
• Delivery Route Carrier
• Letter Carrier
• Mail Carrier
• Mail Carrier Technician
• Mail Clerk

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities 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.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Customer and Personal Service

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Information Ordering
• Near Vision
• Oral Comprehension
• Speech Recognition
• Trunk Strength
• Written Comprehension
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Category Flexibility
• Speech Clarity
• Problem Sensitivity

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Dependability
• Attention to Detail
• Integrity
• Perseverance
• Cooperation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Support
• Relationships
• Working Conditions
• Independence
• Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• Delivery unit computers
• Handheld computers
• Mail distribution cases
• Mail relay boxes
• Mail sorting trays
• Passenger vehicles
• Portable barcode scanners
• Postal vehicle tire chains
• Route cases
• Small trucks
• Time clocks
• Wheeled carts

Work Environment

• 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

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$42,390
Median	$57,490
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$76,880

Workers Employed Nationally: 336,040

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

---

---

Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.