Postal Service Mail Carriers
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: Carrier, Carrier Associate, Carrier Driver, City Carrier, City Carrier Assistant (CCA), City Letter Carrier, City Mail Carrier, Clerk Carrier, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Declining)
What You'd Do
- Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.
- 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.
- Return to the post office with mail collected from homes, businesses, and public mailboxes.
- Turn in money and receipts collected along mail routes.
- Sign for cash-on-delivery and registered mail before leaving the post office.
- Record address changes and redirect mail for those addresses.
- Hold mail for customers who are away from delivery locations.
- Bundle mail in preparation for delivery or transportation to relay boxes.
- Leave notices telling patrons where to collect mail that could not be delivered.
- Meet schedules for the collection and return of mail.
- Return incorrectly addressed mail to senders.
- Maintain accurate records of deliveries.
- Answer customers' questions about postal services and regulations.
- Provide customers with change of address cards and other forms.
- Report any unusual circumstances concerning mail delivery, including the condition of street letter boxes.
- Scan labels on letters or parcels to confirm receipt.
- Register, certify, and insure parcels and letters.
- Travel to post offices to pick up the mail for routes or pick up mail from postal relay boxes.
- Complete forms that notify publishers of address changes.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
Is Postal Service Mail Carriers right for you?
Take our free career quiz to see how you match with this and 900+ other careers.
Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.