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.
- O*NET-SOC code
43-5052.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$60,550
Employment, U.S.328,820
Median hourly wage$29.11
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $42,390 | $48,940 | $60,550 | $81,000 | $81,040 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 5,840 | $57,700 | 1.31 |
| Alaska | 450 | $59,880 | 0.65 |
| Arizona | 5,300 | $62,390 | 0.77 |
| Arkansas | 3,030 | $59,700 | 1.10 |
| California | 32,320 | $62,090 | 0.84 |
| Colorado | 5,100 | $59,880 | 0.84 |
| Connecticut | 4,510 | $61,130 | 1.26 |
| Delaware | 1,130 | $59,880 | 1.10 |
| District of Columbia | 930 | $64,250 | 0.63 |
| Florida | 20,810 | $61,130 | 0.99 |
| Georgia | 10,790 | $57,700 | 1.04 |
| Hawaii | 1,200 | $59,880 | 0.90 |
| Idaho | 1,660 | $57,820 | 0.92 |
| Illinois | 14,730 | $62,070 | 1.14 |
| Indiana | 6,910 | $59,880 | 1.02 |
| Iowa | 3,730 | $59,880 | 1.13 |
| Kansas | 3,310 | $58,540 | 1.09 |
| Kentucky | 4,640 | $58,910 | 1.10 |
| Louisiana | 5,090 | $58,910 | 1.24 |
| Maine | 1,510 | $59,010 | 1.11 |
| Maryland | 6,420 | $62,070 | 1.10 |
| Massachusetts | 7,630 | $62,070 | 0.99 |
| Michigan | 11,610 | $59,880 | 1.25 |
| Minnesota | 5,890 | $59,990 | 0.94 |
| Mississippi | 3,290 | $57,470 | 1.34 |
| Missouri | 7,260 | $59,880 | 1.17 |
| Montana | 830 | $59,010 | 0.77 |
| Nebraska | 2,150 | $59,880 | 0.99 |
| Nevada | 2,530 | $62,070 | 0.77 |
| New Hampshire | 1,560 | $59,990 | 1.08 |
| New Jersey | 10,160 | $61,130 | 1.12 |
| New Mexico | 1,570 | $59,880 | 0.85 |
| New York | 20,580 | $62,070 | 1.00 |
| North Carolina | 11,030 | $59,990 | 1.06 |
| North Dakota | 800 | $59,010 | 0.88 |
| Ohio | 12,680 | $61,130 | 1.08 |
| Oklahoma | 4,130 | $59,880 | 1.14 |
| Oregon | 3,760 | $59,400 | 0.90 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,900 | $59,880 | 1.08 |
| Rhode Island | 1,220 | $63,610 | 1.15 |
| South Carolina | 5,650 | $57,700 | 1.16 |
| South Dakota | 850 | $60,760 | 0.88 |
| Tennessee | 7,310 | $58,570 | 1.05 |
| Texas | 26,700 | $60,550 | 0.90 |
| Utah | 2,460 | $59,880 | 0.67 |
| Vermont | 690 | $59,010 | 1.07 |
| Virginia | 7,900 | $62,070 | 0.91 |
| Washington | 6,550 | $59,990 | 0.87 |
| West Virginia | 1,850 | $57,700 | 1.25 |
| Wisconsin | 6,470 | $59,880 | 1.04 |
| Wyoming | 430 | $59,880 | 0.72 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baggage Porters and Bellhops | 1-2 | 0.953 |
| 2 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 1-2 | 0.942 |
| 3 | Driver/Sales Workers | 1-2 | 0.941 |
| 4 | Parking Attendants | 1-2 | 0.938 |
| 5 | Light Truck Drivers | 1-2 | 0.932 |
| 6 | Postal Service Clerks | 1-2 | 0.932 |
| 7 | Aircraft Service Attendants | 1-2 | 0.929 |
| 8 | Hazardous Materials Removal Workers | 1-2 | 0.928 |
| 9 | Animal Caretakers | 1-2 | 0.928 |
| 10 | Baristas | 1-2 | 0.926 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Postal Service Mail Carriers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baggage Porters and Bellhops | Service Orientation | 0.88 | 0.953 |
| Light Truck Drivers | Operation and Control | 0.76 | 0.932 |
| Postal Service Clerks | Service Orientation | 0.88 | 0.932 |
| Aircraft Service Attendants | Operation and Control | 0.76 | 0.929 |
| Animal Caretakers | Service Orientation | 0.76 | 0.928 |
| Baristas | Service Orientation | 0.76 | 0.926 |
| Cashiers | Service Orientation | 0.76 | 0.923 |
| Forest and Conservation Workers | Judgment and Decision Making | 0.76 | 0.921 |
| Funeral Attendants | Service Orientation | 1.00 | 0.917 |
| Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | Monitoring | 0.87 | 0.914 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Postal Service Mail Carriers, excluding software Postal Service Mail Carriers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Edge | 4 of 20 | 15.4x |
| Inventory management systems | 5 of 20 | 8.0x |
| Apple Safari | 4 of 20 | 8.8x |
| Mozilla Firefox | 4 of 20 | 7.1x |
| Handheld computer device software | 3 of 20 | 12.6x |
| Warehouse management system WMS | 3 of 20 | 7.7x |
| Inventory tracking software | 4 of 20 | 4.1x |
| Database software | 4 of 20 | 1.1x |
| Microsoft Outlook | 14 of 20 | 1.0x |
| Microsoft Excel | 18 of 20 | 1.0x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.88 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 1.75 | 1.12 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 1.62 | 1.12 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.25 | 4.70 |
| English Language | 3.25 | 2.99 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.21 | 2.89 |
| Sales and Marketing | 3.15 | 2.93 |
| Transportation | 2.96 | 2.78 |
| Administration and Management | 2.86 | 2.58 |
| Production and Processing | 2.73 | 2.37 |
| Education and Training | 2.65 | 3.06 |
| Administrative | 2.47 | 2.39 |
| Mathematics | 2.35 | 1.98 |
| Geography | 2.27 | 2.01 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.18 | 1.94 |
| Law and Government | 2.14 | 2.11 |
| Psychology | 2.13 | 2.07 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.06 | 1.73 |
| Communications and Media | 2.00 | 1.78 |
| Telecommunications | 1.81 | 0.76 |
| Mechanical | 1.61 | 1.16 |
| Foreign Language | 1.60 | 0.75 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.57 | 0.85 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.50 | 0.91 |
| Chemistry | 1.45 | 0.92 |
| Design | 1.40 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.37 | not rated |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.28 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.24 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.22 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.21 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.16 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.13 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.04 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.03 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.01 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.62 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.00 | 2.38 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.00 | 2.38 |
| Oral Expression | 2.88 | 3.50 |
| Control Precision | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Manual Dexterity | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Finger Dexterity | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Selective Attention | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Static Strength | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Far Vision | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Stamina | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Time Sharing | 2.50 | 2.62 |
| Depth Perception | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Written Expression | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Response Orientation | 2.12 | 2.25 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Rate Control | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Memorization | 2.12 | 1.25 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Reaction Time | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Visualization | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Night Vision | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Sound Localization | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Originality | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Number Facility | 1.75 | 1.25 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.75 | 1.25 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 1.62 | 1.00 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.50 | 0.62 |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Windows hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- Address Management System AMS
- Automated Data Collection System ADCS
- Delivery Routing System DRS
- Delivery operations information system DOIS
- Electronic Time Clock ETC
- End of Run Report EOR
- Time and Attendance Collection System TACS
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, NC | 250 | 2.20 | $56,660 |
| Sebring, FL | 130 | 2.17 | $55,490 |
| Gadsden, AL | 140 | 1.99 | $55,930 |
| Sumter, SC | 140 | 1.90 | $52,520 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 140 | 1.81 | $52,340 |
| Ocala, FL | 460 | 1.78 | $55,930 |
| Elmira, NY | 130 | 1.77 | $57,470 |
| Johnstown, PA | 180 | 1.76 | $57,700 |
| Bay City, MI | 120 | 1.72 | $68,640 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 130 | 1.72 | $56,300 |