What Does a Mail Carrier Do?
Carrying mail is a workout that lasts all day. Mail carriers deliver letters, packages, prescriptions and ballots to every address on a city or rural route for the Postal Service, in rain, heat or snow. Universities with big campuses sometimes run their own mail routes.
Mail Carrier Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a mail carrier include:
- Sort letters and large envelopes into delivery order before leaving the station.
- Load parcels in route order so each stop's packages are within easy reach.
- Deliver mail and packages on foot or by vehicle along a set city or rural route.
- Scan every package and record delivery exceptions on a handheld scanner.
- Collect outgoing mail from boxes, homes and businesses along the route.
- Obtain signatures for certified, registered and insured items, and leave notices when nobody is home.
- Watch for dogs, ice, traffic and unsafe steps, and report hazards on the route.
- Hold, forward or return mail according to customer requests and address changes.
- Answer customer questions about postage, holds and missing items politely at the door.
- Check the delivery vehicle's brakes, lights and tires before each trip and report defects.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a mail carrier, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Valid driver's license and a safe driving record
- Stamina for walking and lifting in all weather
- Accuracy with addresses and scanning
- Good sense of direction and memory for a route
- Courtesy with customers
- Ability to pass a background check and drug screen
- Independence and self-pacing
- Knowing how to handle loose or aggressive dogs
Education and Training
An entrance exam, a background check and a drug screen come before any Postal Service offer. You do not need a diploma. Substitute and assistant jobs are where new carriers normally begin, learning routes on the job until a regular one opens up.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $48,940 - $81,000 per year, with a median of $60,550.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Postal Service Mail Carriers.
BLS projects employment of postal service mail carriers to dip about 0.3 percent from 2025 to 2035, which is essentially flat. Openings are another matter: BLS expects about 19,600 a year, mostly to replace carriers who retire or leave. The busiest weeks are the ones before Christmas, when parcel volume peaks and many new hires get their start.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Postal service mail carriers.