Postal service mail carriers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,390 | $20.38 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $60,550 | $29.11 |
| Mean (average) | $62,540 | $30.07 |
| 90th percentile | $81,040 | $38.96 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Postal service mail carriers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $57,700 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 5,840 | 1.31 |
| Alaska | $59,880 | $46,030 | $81,040 | 450 | 0.65 |
| Arizona | $62,390 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 5,300 | 0.77 |
| Arkansas | $59,700 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 3,030 | 1.1 |
| California | $62,090 | $43,120 | $81,040 | 32,320 | 0.84 |
| Colorado | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 5,100 | 0.84 |
| Connecticut | $61,130 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 4,510 | 1.26 |
| Delaware | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 1,130 | 1.1 |
| District of Columbia | $64,250 | $44,160 | $81,040 | 930 | 0.63 |
| Florida | $61,130 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 20,810 | 0.99 |
| Georgia | $57,700 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 10,790 | 1.04 |
| Guam | $56,080 | $44,160 | $81,040 | 40 | 0.28 |
| Hawaii | $59,880 | $48,940 | $81,040 | 1,200 | 0.9 |
| Idaho | $57,820 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 1,660 | 0.92 |
| Illinois | $62,070 | $43,120 | $81,040 | 14,730 | 1.14 |
| Indiana | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 6,910 | 1.02 |
| Iowa | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 3,730 | 1.13 |
| Kansas | $58,540 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 3,310 | 1.09 |
| Kentucky | $58,910 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 4,640 | 1.1 |
| Louisiana | $58,910 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 5,090 | 1.24 |
| Maine | $59,010 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 1,510 | 1.11 |
| Maryland | $62,070 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 6,420 | 1.1 |
| Massachusetts | $62,070 | $44,160 | $81,040 | 7,630 | 0.99 |
| Michigan | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 11,610 | 1.25 |
| Minnesota | $59,990 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 5,890 | 0.94 |
| Mississippi | $57,470 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 3,290 | 1.34 |
| Missouri | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 7,260 | 1.17 |
| Montana | $59,010 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 830 | 0.77 |
| Nebraska | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 2,150 | 0.99 |
| Nevada | $62,070 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 2,530 | 0.77 |
| New Hampshire | $59,990 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 1,560 | 1.08 |
| New Jersey | $61,130 | $43,120 | $81,040 | 10,160 | 1.12 |
| New Mexico | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 1,570 | 0.85 |
| New York | $62,070 | $43,120 | $81,040 | 20,580 | 1 |
| North Carolina | $59,990 | $42,390 | $82,370 | 11,030 | 1.06 |
| North Dakota | $59,010 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 800 | 0.88 |
| Ohio | $61,130 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 12,680 | 1.08 |
| Oklahoma | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 4,130 | 1.14 |
| Oregon | $59,400 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 3,760 | 0.9 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 13,900 | 1.08 |
| Puerto Rico | $57,700 | $44,160 | $81,040 | 1,240 | 0.62 |
| Rhode Island | $63,610 | $43,120 | $81,040 | 1,220 | 1.15 |
| South Carolina | $57,700 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 5,650 | 1.16 |
| South Dakota | $60,760 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 850 | 0.88 |
| Tennessee | $58,570 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 7,310 | 1.05 |
| Texas | $60,550 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 26,700 | 0.9 |
| Utah | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 2,460 | 0.67 |
| Vermont | $59,010 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 690 | 1.07 |
| Virgin Islands | $55,490 | $43,120 | $81,040 | 40 | 0.52 |
| Virginia | $62,070 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 7,900 | 0.91 |
| Washington | $59,990 | $43,120 | $81,040 | 6,550 | 0.87 |
| West Virginia | $57,700 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 1,850 | 1.25 |
| Wisconsin | $59,880 | $42,390 | $81,040 | 6,470 | 1.04 |
| Wyoming | $59,880 | $43,120 | $81,040 | 430 | 0.72 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for postal service mail carriers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 19,600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for postal service mail carriers
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Address Management System AMS
- Automated Data Collection System ADCS
- Delivery Routing System DRS
- Delivery operations information system DOIS
- Electronic Time Clock ETC
- End of Run Report EOR
- Time and Attendance Collection System TACS
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Coordination, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: City Carrier, City Carrier Assistant (CCA), City Letter Carrier, City Mail Carrier, Letter Carrier, Mail Carrier, Rural Carrier, Rural Carrier Associate (RCA), Rural Mail Carrier, Rural Route Carrier.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do postal service mail carriers make?
The national median annual wage for postal service mail carriers was $60,550 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $42,390 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $81,040. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do postal service mail carriers need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is postal service mail carriers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of postal service mail carriers to change -0.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 19,600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay postal service mail carriers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($64,250), Rhode Island ($63,610), Arizona ($62,390). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.