Postmasters and mail superintendents salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $85,090 | $40.91 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $96,660 | $46.47 |
| Mean (average) | $97,360 | $46.81 |
| 90th percentile | $111,740 | $53.72 |
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
Postmasters and mail superintendents pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $95,740 | $87,710 | $111,740 | 280 | 1.47 |
| Alaska | $59,340 | $51,330 | $99,420 | 170 | 5.78 |
| Arizona | $99,050 | $75,050 | $120,680 | 150 | 0.53 |
| Arkansas | $97,880 | $89,770 | $111,740 | 180 | 1.53 |
| California | $101,150 | $85,570 | $122,930 | 800 | 0.49 |
| Colorado | $93,000 | $72,090 | $109,740 | 200 | 0.77 |
| Connecticut | $97,880 | $88,050 | $114,650 | 160 | 1.08 |
| Delaware | $98,550 | $89,770 | $115,940 | 40 | 0.98 |
| Florida | $102,880 | $90,650 | $126,940 | 350 | 0.4 |
| Georgia | $97,050 | $87,900 | $111,740 | 340 | 0.79 |
| Hawaii | $99,070 | $85,090 | $117,120 | 60 | 1.08 |
| Idaho | $92,820 | $72,800 | $111,180 | 130 | 1.68 |
| Illinois | $94,970 | $85,280 | $110,550 | 510 | 0.94 |
| Indiana | $98,680 | $89,690 | $112,220 | 290 | 1.02 |
| Iowa | $93,160 | $85,090 | $102,960 | 260 | 1.87 |
| Kansas | $93,080 | $85,090 | $102,960 | 190 | 1.52 |
| Kentucky | $98,570 | $89,770 | $111,740 | 240 | 1.37 |
| Louisiana | $96,550 | $87,190 | $110,990 | 250 | 1.44 |
| Maine | $93,000 | $79,960 | $104,330 | 180 | 3.15 |
| Maryland | $94,890 | $86,780 | $108,520 | 230 | 0.94 |
| Massachusetts | $96,870 | $85,720 | $114,730 | 330 | 1.03 |
| Michigan | $97,790 | $89,630 | $111,740 | 450 | 1.16 |
| Minnesota | $92,410 | $85,090 | $102,960 | 320 | 1.24 |
| Mississippi | $95,270 | $87,170 | $111,740 | 190 | 1.8 |
| Missouri | $95,680 | $87,090 | $108,310 | 300 | 1.14 |
| Montana | $88,920 | $51,360 | $102,960 | 170 | 3.81 |
| Nebraska | $94,040 | $85,090 | $102,960 | 150 | 1.63 |
| Nevada | $89,770 | $50,270 | $116,600 | 70 | 0.49 |
| New Hampshire | $92,980 | $84,120 | $107,350 | 160 | 2.7 |
| New Jersey | $101,100 | $89,270 | $117,040 | 440 | 1.15 |
| New Mexico | $91,500 | $60,490 | $111,130 | 140 | 1.86 |
| New York | $97,640 | $88,920 | $111,860 | 830 | 0.97 |
| North Carolina | $96,410 | $87,400 | $111,740 | 480 | 1.1 |
| North Dakota | $91,040 | $59,110 | $102,960 | 90 | 2.33 |
| Ohio | $97,680 | $89,770 | $111,610 | 510 | 1.03 |
| Oklahoma | $96,080 | $88,250 | $110,360 | 240 | 1.58 |
| Oregon | $93,180 | $69,060 | $106,850 | 220 | 1.25 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,530 | $85,970 | $111,740 | 800 | 1.48 |
| Puerto Rico | $101,580 | $94,060 | $113,110 | 90 | 1.06 |
| Rhode Island | $99,900 | $89,880 | $117,120 | 40 | 0.83 |
| South Carolina | $98,940 | $89,770 | $115,070 | 210 | 1.04 |
| South Dakota | $91,540 | $71,720 | $107,720 | 100 | 2.54 |
| Tennessee | $99,170 | $90,380 | $111,740 | 260 | 0.9 |
| Texas | $97,550 | $87,110 | $112,800 | 820 | 0.65 |
| Utah | $98,570 | $74,550 | $111,740 | 110 | 0.69 |
| Vermont | $89,890 | $85,090 | $101,050 | 120 | 4.37 |
| Virginia | $94,790 | $86,280 | $110,570 | 370 | 1.02 |
| Washington | $95,430 | $78,670 | $116,080 | 280 | 0.9 |
| West Virginia | $96,260 | $86,010 | $109,030 | 180 | 2.81 |
| Wisconsin | $96,810 | $87,510 | $111,680 | 340 | 1.29 |
| Wyoming | $88,040 | $50,880 | $101,150 | 80 | 3.37 |
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 postmasters and mail superintendents
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for postmasters and mail superintendents
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-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
- Public Administration CIP 44.0401
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Monitor employees' work schedules and attendance for payroll purposes.
- Organize and supervise activities, such as the processing of incoming and outgoing mail.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Prepare employee work schedules.
- Direct and coordinate operational, management, and supportive services of one or a number of postal facilities.
- Hire and train employees, and evaluate their performance.
- Prepare and submit detailed and summary reports of post office activities to designated supervisors.
- Negotiate labor disputes.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Collection Point Management System CPMS
- Email software
- Facility database software
- Payroll software
- Personnel management software
- Personnel scheduling software
- Postal boundary mapping software
- Postal tracking software
- Vehicle management software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Time Management, Management of Personnel Resources, Negotiation, Service Orientation.
Common job titles: Delivery Supervisor, Distribution Operation Supervisor (SDO), Distribution Operations Manager, Distribution Operations Supervisor, Mail Delivery Supervisor, Postal Supervisor, Postmaster, Postmaster Relief (PMR), Remote Encoding Center Manager, Remote Encoding Operations Supervisor.
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 postmasters and mail superintendents make?
The national median annual wage for postmasters and mail superintendents was $96,660 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $85,090 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $111,740. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do postmasters and mail superintendents need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is postmasters and mail superintendents a growing career?
BLS projects employment of postmasters and mail superintendents to change -0.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay postmasters and mail superintendents the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Florida ($102,880), Puerto Rico ($101,580), California ($101,150). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.