Occupation · SOC 43-5052
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.
Median wage
$57,490
$42,390–$76,880
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
336,040
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
0 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingSocial Perceptiveness
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguagePublic Safety and SecuritySales and Marketing
Technology & tools
Data base user interface and query softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP softwareMap creation softwareTime accounting softwareOffice suite software
Representative 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.Turn in money and receipts collected along mail routes.Leave notices telling patrons where to collect mail that could not be delivered.Maintain accurate records of deliveries.Bundle mail in preparation for delivery or transportation to relay boxes.Record address changes and redirect mail for those addresses.Return incorrectly addressed mail to senders.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.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.Sell stamps and money orders.Complete forms that notify publishers of address changes.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Parcel and letter labels — scan and confirm receipt under direct supervisor guidance at the start of a delivery shift.Mail sorting procedures — follow established sequencing steps to arrange outgoing deliveries in delivery order under close oversight.Signed receipts for registered and certified mail — obtain from recipients using standard forms while accompanied by a trainer on route.Cash-on-delivery and registered mail documentation — sign for items at the post office window before departing, following posted protocols.Delivery route geography — recognize assigned street sequences and landmark addresses with the aid of printed route maps during initial weeks.Mail satchels and hand carts — load and carry under direct instruction on a supervised residential delivery segment.Customer greetings and service interactions — practice clear, polite speaking when presenting parcels or requesting signatures along a training route.Held-mail requests — record customer hold instructions on standard forms with supervisor review before processing.Collection pickups from public mailboxes — accompany an experienced carrier and observe correct bagging and labeling procedures.Time accounting software — enter basic daily delivery hours into the postal time-tracking system with supervisor assistance.
developing
Route mail — sort independently into full delivery sequence each morning, meeting the scheduled departure window at a mid-size post office.Registered, certified, and insured mail charges — collect fees and complete associated paperwork accurately with minimal oversight during routine shifts.Delivery schedules — meet daily collection and return windows consistently across assigned residential and light-commercial routes.Postal delivery vehicle — operate a postal car or light truck safely on a familiar suburban route, following traffic and postal safety guidelines.Undeliverable and mis-sorted mail — identify addressing errors and return items to supervisors with correct disposition notes at day's end.Customer hold requests — process held-mail records in the postal database interface and retrieve items reliably when customers return.Scan data entry — log parcel scan results into the delivery tracking database throughout the route without prompted reminders.Route map software — reference digital route and address tools to adapt delivery order when minor address changes or new stops arise.Active listening during customer interactions — clarify delivery instructions and special requests from residents and business recipients with appropriate follow-up.Weather and environmental hazards — apply public-safety awareness to adjust walking pace and vehicle operation on icy or high-traffic segments.
proficient
Full delivery route — execute independently across residential, commercial, and rural segments, handling non-routine cases such as forwarding, refused parcels, and address discrepancies without escalation.Complex registered and COD transactions — complete all required signatures, charge collection, and documentation for high-value mail items accurately and within regulatory standards.Route optimization — reorganize daily mail sequencing to accommodate temporary address changes, route expansions, or volume surges while maintaining on-time performance.Critical thinking in delivery exceptions — assess ambiguous address or recipient situations and apply postal service rules to determine appropriate disposition on the spot.Customer service escalations — resolve complaints about missed deliveries or damaged mail with professionalism, applying customer-service knowledge to maintain patron satisfaction.Technology suite proficiency — navigate database query tools, ERP modules, and time-accounting software independently to reconcile daily delivery records and report discrepancies.New carrier orientation support — demonstrate correct scanning, sorting, and receipt procedures to less-experienced colleagues joining the route team.Safety and security protocols — enforce public-safety and mail-security standards on route, reporting suspicious packages or access issues per established procedures.High-volume period management — sustain accurate sorting, scanning, and delivery pace during peak seasons without decline in error rate or schedule compliance.Cross-route coverage — carry an unfamiliar route with minimal transition time by applying information-ordering skills and available map and database tools.
advanced
Route network planning — lead analysis and redesign of multiple carrier routes using map-creation and ERP software to improve efficiency across a postal delivery unit.Carrier team development — design and deliver on-the-job training programs that build sorting accuracy, customer service, and technology skills in new and developing carriers.Performance standards — establish measurable delivery schedule benchmarks and coach carriers on sustained adherence across diverse route types and weather conditions.Operational safety culture — champion public-safety and mail-security policies at the unit level, updating local procedures in response to new threats or regulatory changes.Customer service quality — set service standards for patron interactions, resolve escalated complaints from business accounts, and implement corrective actions to reduce recurring issues.Technology adoption — lead rollout of updated database interfaces, operating system upgrades, or new scanning hardware, training staff and troubleshooting adoption barriers.Cross-functional coordination — liaise with supervisors, human resources software administrators, and logistics managers to align staffing, equipment, and delivery capacity during peak periods.Data-driven decision-making — analyze delivery scan logs and time-accounting records to identify patterns of delay or error and present findings with improvement recommendations to management.Integrity and dependability modeling — exemplify and reinforce the highest standards of mail security, chain-of-custody documentation, and honest reporting across the carrier workforce.Workforce resilience — develop contingency staffing and route-coverage plans that maintain service continuity during carrier absences, vehicle shortages, or extraordinary mail volume events.
Also known as
47 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Route CarrierPostal Officer (Navy 2617)Rural Route CarrierMail Carrier TechnicianRural Route Mail CarrierRural Letter CarrierCollectorStorekeeper (Coast Guard SK)Rural CarrierMail MessengerRural Carrier Associate Professional (RCA Professional)Carrier AssociateMail RiderCity Carrier Assistant (CCA)Special Delivery MessengerPostal CarrierCarrierParcel Post CarrierRegistered Route AssociateCity Mail CarrierClerk CarrierPostmanPostal Clerk (Marine Corps 0161)Mail ClerkDelivery Route CarrierLogistics Specialist (Navy LS)Postal Clerk (Navy 001637)Courier (Air Force 8P000)City CarrierMail CarrierMail DelivererCarrier DriverSpecial Delivery Mail CarrierRural Mail CarrierPostal Mail CarrierMailmanPostal Officer (Marine Corps 0160)Logistics Specialist (Submarine) (Navy LSS)USPS Mail Carrier (United States Postal Service Mail Carrier)Independent Duty Postal Clerk (Navy S12A)