Material Recording, Scheduling, Dispatching, and Distributing Workers

How to become a Postal Service Mail Carrier

Official title: Postal Service Mail Carriers

Also called: 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

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.

Main 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.

How to become one

Although no formal education is typically required to enter these occupations, most postal service workers have at least a high school diploma. All applicants for these jobs must pass a written exam.

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $60,550 a year The middle half earn $48,940 to $81,000.
About 316,400 people work in this job now, and about 315,500 are projected by 2035. (-0.3%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Postal Service Mail Carrier?

Although no formal education is typically required to enter these occupations, most postal service workers have at least a high school diploma. All applicants for these jobs must pass a written exam.

How much does a Postal Service Mail Carrier earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $60,550 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $48,940 to $81,000.

Is a Postal Service Mail Carrier a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 316,400 people now and 315,500 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Postal Service Mail Carrier?

Usually not. Only 17% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Postal Service Mail Carrier?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.