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.
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. The role reports a median annual salary of $57,490 in the US and is projected to decline by 4% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a No formal educational credential, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.47 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Time Management.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £31,677 a year for Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £28,292 to £36,381 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 9211). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Clerical support workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Postal service mail carriers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 4. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Sales and Marketing
- Transportation
- Administration and Management
- Production and Processing
- Education and Training
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Postal service mail carriers do?
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.
How much does Postal service mail carriers earn?
The median annual salary for Postal service mail carriers in the US is $57,490.
What is the job outlook for Postal service mail carriers?
The role is projected to decline by 4% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 319,400 workers.
How do I become postal service mail carriers?
The typical entry education is a No formal educational credential. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Postal service mail carriers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Time Management, Coordination. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Postal service mail carriers?
Our AI-durability model gives Postal service mail carriers a score of 0.47 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Postal service mail carriers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.