### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Postal Service Workers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            									
							
				                                                
                                            




            			postal service workers imagePostal service workers must carefully sort mail.							
						Quick Facts:     Postal Service Workers2023     Median Pay
            						$56,510     per year
										$27.17     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    No formal educational credentialWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Short-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    504,300Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    -8% (Decline)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    -39,000What Postal Service Workers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Postal service workers sell postage and related products and collect, sort, and deliver mail.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Postal service clerks and mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators work indoors, typically in a post office. Mail carriers mostly work outdoors, delivering mail.
            
                                                How to Become a Postal Service Worker
                                                
                        
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.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for postal service workers was $56,510 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Overall employment							of postal service workers is projected to decline							 8 percent from 2022 to 2032.
						Despite declining  employment, about 34,400 openings for postal service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for postal service workers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of postal service workers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about postal service workers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Postal Service Workers Do 
            

			Postal service workersCarriers deliver mail to homes and businesses.			
Postal service workers sell postage and related products and collect, sort, and deliver mail.
Duties
Postal service workers typically do the following:
Collect letters and parcels
Sort incoming letters and parcels
Sell stamps and other postal products
Get customer signatures for registered, certified, and insured mail
Operate various types of postal equipment
Distribute letters and parcelsPostal service workers receive and process mail for delivery to homes, businesses, and post office boxes. Workers are classified based on the type of work they do.
The following are examples of types of postal service workers:
***Postal service clerks***, also called *sales and services distribution associates*, sell stamps, money orders, mailing envelopes and boxes, and other postal products in post offices. These workers register, certify, and insure mail, calculate and collect postage, and answer questions about****postal matters. They also may help sort mail.
***Postal service mail carriers*** deliver mail to homes and businesses in cities, towns, and rural areas. Most travel established routes, delivering and collecting mail. Mail carriers cover their routes by foot or vehicle or a combination of both. Some mail carriers collect money for postage due. Others, particularly in rural areas, sell postal products, such as stamps and money orders. Mail carriers also answer customers’ questions about postal regulations and services and, upon request, provide change-of-address cards and other postal forms.
***Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators***, also called *mail handlers and processing clerks,* prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution at post offices and mail processing centers. They load and unload postal trucks and move mail around processing centers. They also operate and adjust mail processing and sorting machinery.
 Work Environment
			Postal service workersAlthough mail carriers work outdoors, sorters and processors typically work indoors.			

	    
				
	
	    	    		Postal service workers held about 504,300 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up postal service workers was distributed as follows:
    	    	
    	Postal service mail carriers
                314,500Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
                115,000Postal service clerks
                74,800The largest employers of postal service workers were as follows:
        Postal service
                100%Postal service clerks and mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators work indoors, typically in a post office. Mail carriers mostly work outdoors, delivering mail in all kinds of weather. Although mail carriers face many natural hazards, such as extreme temperatures and wet or icy roads and sidewalks, the work is not especially dangerous. However, they may experience repetitive stress injuries from lifting and bending.
Work Schedules
Most postal service workers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Because mail usually is delivered 6 days a week, many postal service workers must work on Saturdays. Some also work on Sundays.
 How to Become a Postal Service Worker

			Postal service workersMail carriers must receive a passing grade on a road test.			
To enter these occupations, postal service workers typically need no formal educational credential. However, job candidates must pass a written exam as part of the application process. The exam covers four areas: address cross comparison, forms completion, memory and coding, and personal characteristics and experience. For more information, contact the post office or mail processing center where you want to work.
Postal service workers must meet certain employment qualifications. For example, they must be at least 18 years old, or 16 years old with a high school diploma; be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; and pass a criminal background check, a medical assessment, and a drug screening. They also may be asked to show that they can lift and handle heavy mail sacks.
Education
Although no formal educational credential is typically required to enter these occupations, most postal service workers have at least a high school diploma or the equivalent.
Training
Newly hired postal service workers receive on-the-job training that usually lasts a few weeks. Beginning carriers may work alongside an experienced carrier.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Postal service workers who operate a motor vehicle need a driver's license. In addition, mail carriers must have a safe driving record and pass a road test before driving on the job.
Important Qualities
***Customer-service skills*.** Postal service workers, particularly clerks, regularly interact with customers. As a result, they must be courteous and tactful and provide good client service.
***Detail oriented.*** Postal service workers must pay attention to detail to ensure accuracy in sorting and delivering mail.
***Physical stamina*.** Postal service workers may need to stand or walk for long periods.
***Physical strength*.** Postal service workers must be able to lift and carry heavy mail bags and parcels.
***Time-management skills.***Postal service workers often need to prioritize and handle several tasks at once.
***Visual ability.*** To have a driver’s license, postal service workers must be able to pass a state vision test.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Postal Service WorkersMedian annual wages, May 2023Postal service workers$56,510  Total, all occupations$48,060  Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers$46,590Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for postal service workers was $56,510 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $41,480, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $75,300.

			
                    	Median annual wages for postal service workers in May 2023 were as follows:
        Postal service clerks
		$59,570Postal service mail carriers
		56,330Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
		53,440In May 2023, the median annual wages for postal service workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Postal service
                $56,510Most postal service workers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Because mail usually is delivered 6 days a week, many postal service workers must work on Saturdays. Some also work on Sundays.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Postal Service WorkersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Total, all occupations3%  Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers-3%  Postal service workers-8%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Overall employment				of postal service workers is projected to decline				 8 percent from 2022 to 2032.
			
			Despite declining  employment, about 34,400 openings for postal service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
The postal service likely will need fewer workers because new mail sorting technology can read text and automatically sort, forward, and process mail. The greater use of online services to pay bills and the increased use of online communications should also reduce the need for sorting and processing workers.
Meanwhile, the amount of time carriers save on sorting letter mail and flat mail will allow them to increase the size of their routes, which should reduce the need to hire more carriers. In addition, the postal service is adopting more centralized mail delivery, such as the use of cluster mailboxes, to cut down on the number of door-to-door deliveries.
			

                        Employment projections data for     postal service workers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Postal service workers**
			43-5050
			504,300
			465,300
			-8
			-39,000
			Get data**Postal service clerks**
			43-5051
			74,800
			69,800
			-7
			-5,000
			Get data**Postal service mail carriers**
			43-5052
			314,500
			293,500
			-7
			-21,000
			Get data**Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators**
			43-5053
			115,000
			102,100
			-11
			-13,000
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Postal service clerks
					Postal service mail carriers
					Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of postal service workers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Customer Service Representatives**
            Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and answer questions.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $39,680**Delivery Truck Drivers and Driver/Sales Workers**
            Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport, and drop off packages and small shipments within a local region or urban area.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $39,950**Hand Laborers and Material Movers**
            Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials.
            See How to Become One
            $36,770**Information Clerks**
            Information clerks perform routine clerical duties, maintain records, collect data, and provide information to customers.
            See How to Become One
            $40,540**Material Recording Clerks**
            Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $44,210**Metal and Plastic Machine Workers**
            Metal and plastic machine workers set up and operate equipment that cuts, shapes, and forms metal and plastic materials or pieces.
            See How to Become One
            $44,880**Receptionists**
            Receptionists do tasks such as answering phones, receiving visitors, and providing information about their organization to the public.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $35,840**Retail Sales Workers**
            Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments.
            No formal educational credential
            $33,900**Taxi Drivers, Shuttle Drivers, and Chauffeurs**
            Taxi drivers (including ride-hailing drivers), shuttle drivers, and chauffeurs transport people to and from the places they need to go.
            No formal educational credential
            $35,180**Tellers**
            Tellers are responsible for accurately processing routine transactions at a bank.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $37,640
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about postal service workers, including job requirements, entrance examinations, and employment opportunities, visit
United States Postal Service


                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Postal Service ClerksPostal Service Mail CarriersPostal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Postal Service Workers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/postal-service-workers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


**U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics**
Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections 
PSB Suite 2135 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE  
Washington, DC 20212-0001 Telephone:1-202-691-5700 

www.bls.gov/ooh
Contact OOH