How much does a mail carrier make?

In the U.S., pay changes with experience because career carriers move through pay steps, while assistants have a different schedule. Overtime can add pay; USPS generally sets the same base rate for the same job nationwide, so hours and job type matter more than location.

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.

What's a typical day like?

At the post office, a carrier sorts letters and parcels into route order, then loads a bag or vehicle. They walk or drive from stop to stop, deliver and collect mail, get signatures when needed, and return with collected mail.

U.S. applicants can apply at 18, or at 16 with a high-school diploma; college is not required. Apply to USPS, pass its carrier assessment and screening; drivers need a license, safe record and road test, then get a few weeks of training.

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like keeping things organized and building and doing.

About 6,100 USPS carriers deliver mail entirely on foot—the Postal Service calls them its “fleet of feet.”