Postal Service Mail Carriers is a dynamic career path with diverse opportunities. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Transportation and Warehousing. The field combines competitive compensation with strong employment opportunities, making it an attractive career path.

Key Statistics

33,150
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$62,007
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Postal Service Mail Carriers workforce.

Employment Over Time

33,150 Workforce in 2023

The Postal Service Mail Carriers workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$62,007 Average Wage

In 2023, Postal Service Mail Carriers earned an average of $62,007.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Salary distribution for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Employment Growth Projections

-2.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

97,557 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: -10.5%

87,315 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: -19.9%

This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Postal Service Mail Carriers and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Postal Service Mail Carriers employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Wage Trends by Industry

-4.3% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 20,030 employees, $62,223 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 3,250 employees, $61,640 avg wage
  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 2,950 employees, $61,210 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 2,690 employees, $62,633 avg wage
  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 2,050 employees, $63,713 avg wage
  • San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 1,740 employees, $64,934 avg wage
  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 1,460 employees, $62,906 avg wage
  • Fresno MSA: 860 employees, $60,730 avg wage
  • Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 660 employees, $63,601 avg wage
  • Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 630 employees, $58,616 avg wage
  • Stockton-Lodi MSA: 580 employees, $62,845 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Diversity

Demographic information on Postal Service Mail Carriers in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Postal Service Mail Carriers in 2023 was 33,150 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Postal Service Mail Carriers in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.

Common majors for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Postal Service Mail Carriers workers.

Education level distribution for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Skills

Postal Service Mail Carriers need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening, Time Management.

Required skills for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Postal Service Mail Carriers include Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Sales and Marketing, Transportation.

Knowledge areas required for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Postal Service Mail Carriers include Near Vision, Information Ordering, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Trunk Strength, Problem Sensitivity.

Required abilities for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Postal Service Mail Carriers.

Daily Activities

Postal Service Mail Carriers spend their time on activities such as Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Performing General Physical Activities, Handling and Moving Objects, Getting Information, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public.

Most important work activities for Postal Service Mail Carriers.

About

Postal Service Mail Carriers

The average yearly wage for Postal Service Mail Carriers was $62,007 in 2023.

SOC Code

43-5052 - Postal Service Mail Carriers

Insights and Analysis

Compensation snapshot: Postal Service Mail Carriers reports an average salary of $62,007.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 33,150 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -2.2%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.