How much do mail carriers make?

Mail Carrier salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Postal Service Mail Carriers (SOC 43-5052) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Mail carriers in the US earned a median of $60,550 a year ($29.11 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $48,940 to $81,000.

Median annual pay: $60,550; Mean $62,540
Median hourly pay: $29.11; Mean $30.07
Typical range (10th–90th): $42.4K–$81.0K; $42,390 to $81,040
US jobs: 328,820; −0.3% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become a mail carrier: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: Arkansas

Mail Carrier pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$42,390
25th percentile$48,940
Median$60,550
75th percentile$81,000
90th percentile$81,040

Half of all mail carriers earned more than $60,550 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $42,390; the top 10% made over $81,040. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $48,940 to $81,000.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$42,390	$20.38	$3,533
25th	$48,940	$23.53	$4,078
Median (50th)	$60,550	$29.11	$5,046
75th	$81,000	$38.94	$6,750
90th	$81,040	$38.96	$6,753
Mean (average)	$62,540	$30.07	$5,212

Mail Carrier salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for mail carriers by state. Darker tiles pay more.

Highest-paying states

1. District of Columbia $64,250
2. Rhode Island $63,610
3. Arizona $62,390
4. California $62,090
5. Illinois $62,070

Lowest-paying states

51. Mississippi $57,470
50. West Virginia $57,700
49. South Carolina $57,700
48. Georgia $57,700
47. Alabama $57,700

Best after cost of living: Arkansas. Its median of $59,700 is worth about $68,670 at national-average prices, more than in District of Columbia once prices are counted.


Alabama	$57,700	47	$64,961	13	$27.74	5,840	2.76
Alaska	$59,880	21	$58,500	42	$28.79	450	1.37
Arizona	$62,390	3	$61,970	27	$30.00	5,300	1.64
Arkansas	$59,700	36	$68,670	1	$28.70	3,030	2.33
California	$62,090	4	$56,078	49	$29.85	32,320	1.77
Colorado	$59,880	22	$58,107	44	$28.79	5,100	1.77
Connecticut	$61,130	11	$59,000	40	$29.39	4,510	2.66
Delaware	$59,880	23	$59,995	36	$28.79	1,130	2.32
District of Columbia	$64,250	1	$58,462	43	$30.89	930	1.32
Florida	$61,130	12	$59,112	39	$29.39	20,810	2.10
Georgia	$57,700	48	$59,921	37	$27.74	10,790	2.21
Hawaii	$59,880	24	$54,461	51	$28.79	1,200	1.91
Idaho	$57,820	46	$60,548	34	$27.80	1,660	1.94
Illinois	$62,070	5	$62,096	25	$29.84	14,730	2.42
Indiana	$59,880	25	$64,160	17	$28.79	6,910	2.16
Iowa	$59,880	26	$68,230	3	$28.79	3,730	2.39
Kansas	$58,540	45	$64,995	12	$28.15	3,310	2.30
Kentucky	$58,910	42	$65,340	11	$28.32	4,640	2.32
Louisiana	$58,910	43	$66,786	5	$28.32	5,090	2.63
Maine	$59,010	38	$60,804	32	$28.37	1,510	2.35
Maryland	$62,070	6	$59,137	38	$29.84	6,420	2.33
Massachusetts	$62,070	7	$58,691	41	$29.84	7,630	2.10
Michigan	$59,880	27	$62,234	23	$28.79	11,610	2.63
Minnesota	$59,990	17	$60,829	31	$28.84	5,890	2.00
Mississippi	$57,470	51	$66,093	8	$27.63	3,290	2.83
Missouri	$59,880	28	$65,935	9	$28.79	7,260	2.47
Montana	$59,010	39	$62,349	22	$28.37	830	1.63
Nebraska	$59,880	29	$66,457	6	$28.79	2,150	2.10
Nevada	$62,070	8	$62,083	26	$29.84	2,530	1.63
New Hampshire	$59,990	18	$57,591	45	$28.84	1,560	2.28
New Jersey	$61,130	13	$56,183	48	$29.39	10,160	2.37
New Mexico	$59,880	30	$64,937	14	$28.79	1,570	1.80
New York	$62,070	9	$57,514	46	$29.84	20,580	2.12
North Carolina	$59,990	19	$63,599	20	$28.84	11,030	2.23
North Dakota	$59,010	40	$66,334	7	$28.37	800	1.86
Ohio	$61,130	14	$65,891	10	$29.39	12,680	2.28
Oklahoma	$59,880	31	$68,167	4	$28.79	4,130	2.42
Oregon	$59,400	37	$57,468	47	$28.56	3,760	1.91
Pennsylvania	$59,880	32	$61,370	30	$28.79	13,900	2.29
Rhode Island	$63,610	2	$62,192	24	$30.58	1,220	2.42
South Carolina	$57,700	49	$61,547	28	$27.74	5,650	2.45
South Dakota	$60,760	15	$68,589	2	$29.21	850	1.86
Tennessee	$58,570	44	$63,753	18	$28.16	7,310	2.23
Texas	$60,550	16	$62,386	21	$29.11	26,700	1.90
Utah	$59,880	33	$60,568	33	$28.79	2,460	1.42
Vermont	$59,010	41	$60,240	35	$28.37	690	2.27
Virginia	$62,070	10	$61,392	29	$29.84	7,900	1.92
Washington	$59,990	20	$56,059	50	$28.84	6,550	1.84
West Virginia	$57,700	50	$64,471	16	$27.74	1,850	2.63
Wisconsin	$59,880	34	$63,638	19	$28.79	6,470	2.20
Wyoming	$59,880	35	$64,602	15	$28.79	430	1.52

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for mail carriers

381 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
Lawrence, KS	$70,530	$78,156	100
Bay City, MI	$68,640	$74,673	120
Enid, OK	$68,640	$81,453	60
Bozeman, MT	$68,060	$66,394	60
Napa, CA	$67,140	$59,651	130
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$66,440	$60,108	670
Iowa City, IA	$64,890	$70,911	150
Naples-Marco Island, FL	$64,460	$62,461	400
Bloomington, IN	$64,250	$67,572	190
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$64,250	$70,065	690

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	20,280	$62,070	$55,142
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	10,940	$64,250	$56,575
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	10,320	$63,750	$61,538
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	7,100	$62,070	$60,210
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	6,660	$62,070	$62,933
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	6,560	$61,480	$59,949
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	6,250	$64,250	$59,008
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	5,720	$62,070	$54,373
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	5,690	$59,400	$59,366
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	5,430	$62,090	$57,349

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves mail carrier pay: employers and settings

Nearly all mail carriers work for one employer, the U.S. Postal Service, so pay is set by national contracts rather than by local job markets. That is why the state figures sit in a narrow band compared with most jobs. The District of Columbia is highest at $64,250, then Rhode Island at $63,610, and Arizona at $62,390, while Mississippi is lowest at $57,470. The national median is $60,550 and the hourly median is $29.11.

The biggest factor inside the job is status. New hires usually start as non-career City Carrier Assistants or Rural Carrier Associates with lower hourly rates, fewer guaranteed hours and fewer benefits, then convert to career positions as openings come up. Career carriers move up a pay scale with step increases. Separately, the 75th and 90th percentiles sit very close together, at $81,000, and $81,040, because a single national scale leaves little room above its top rates. Overtime adds to pay for carriers who work long days, which is common during peak package seasons.

After adjusting for living costs, Arkansas is highest at $68,670 adjusted.

Where mail carriers work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Postal Service (Federal Government)	100%	$60,550

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Federal government (incl. Postal Service)	328,820	$60,550

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Mail Carrier pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$60.5K $58.3K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $58,280 in 2015 to $60,550 in 2025, up 4% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $78,783 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay fell 23% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What mail carriers do

A mail carrier, the job many people still call mailman or letter carrier, delivers letters and packages for the U.S. Postal Service. The day starts at the post office or delivery unit, where carriers pull their sorted mail, case any pieces the machines did not sequence, load parcels and scan everything out. Then they run the route: city carriers walk or drive a postal vehicle through neighborhoods and business districts, while rural carriers cover longer routes by vehicle, sometimes their own car, serving roadside boxes.

Along the way carriers scan each package, collect signatures for certified and registered mail, pick up outgoing mail and leave notices for items that could not be delivered. They work outdoors in heat, rain, snow and ice, often lifting heavy trays and parcels and climbing in and out of the vehicle hundreds of times a day. Every mail carrier in our data works for the Postal Service. Most new carriers start as non-career City Carrier Assistants or Rural Carrier Associates, and Saturday, Sunday and holiday work is common.

A typical day

Pull sorted mail at the station, case any loose pieces into route order and load the vehicle
Scan barcodes on parcels at pickup, at delivery and when mail is held or returned
Walk park-and-loop sections or drive curbside routes to homes, businesses and cluster boxes
Get signatures for certified, registered and insured mail and collect any postage due
Pick up outgoing letters and packages from customers and collection boxes
Leave pickup notices for items that cannot be delivered and hold mail while customers are on vacation
Return to the station to turn in scanners, undeliverable mail and any money collected

Also called: mailman, postal worker, letter carrier, usps mail carrier, rural carrier, city carrier, city carrier assistant (cca), city letter carrier.

How to become a mail carrier

Full guide

To become a mail carrier, you apply online to the U.S. Postal Service for a City Carrier Assistant or Rural Carrier Associate opening, pass the free Virtual Entry Assessment for mail carriers (Exam 474), clear a background check, drug screening, medical assessment and driving record review, then complete a few weeks of paid training. No degree is required, and the process usually takes weeks to a few months.

Typical time: 1-3 months to start; longer to reach a career position; Fastest: A few weeks
Minimum education: No formal education credential required; most carriers have a high school diploma
License: No occupational license; a valid state driver's license and a safe driving record are required
Typical training cost: No tuition; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a mail carrier: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 1-3 months to start; longer to reach a career position; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: No tuition; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $60,550; $9,570 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 0–0%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

The typical path into this job has no tuition cost (training is employer-provided or paid), so there is nothing to repay. This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for mail carriers

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: −0.3%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 316,400; 315,500 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 19,600; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: —; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects mail carrier jobs to slip 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, from 316,400 to 315,500, while all occupations grow 3.5%. Even so, about 19,600 openings are expected each year as carriers retire or move to other work, so the Postal Service keeps hiring. Automated sorting now puts more letters and flats in delivery order, which lets carriers handle longer routes. The shift to cluster mailboxes and curbside delivery reduces door-to-door stops.

Related careers and their pay

Postal Service Clerks$62,130
Couriers and Messengers$39,200
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$39,280
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,260
Cargo and Freight Agents$52,260

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Mail Carrier salary FAQ

How much do mail carriers make an hour?

The median hourly wage for mail carriers was $29.11 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $20.38 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $38.96. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays mail carriers the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median pay for mail carriers, $64,250 a year, followed by Rhode Island ($63,610) and Arizona ($62,390). After adjusting for each state's price level, Arkansas comes out ahead at about $68,670 in national-average dollars.

Do mail carriers make six figures?

Few do: based on the BLS percentiles, fewer than 10% of mail carriers earn more than $100,000 a year. The median is $60,550, and the top 10% earn more than $81,040. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

What is the difference between a city carrier and a rural carrier?

City carriers deliver in towns and cities, often on foot for part of the route, and use postal vehicles. Rural carriers serve longer routes in rural and suburban areas from a vehicle, delivering to roadside and cluster boxes and often selling stamps and accepting packages along the way. Rural carrier associates may use their own vehicle if the post office does not provide one.

Is being a mail carrier hard?

It is physically demanding. Carriers walk or step in and out of a vehicle all day, lift heavy trays and packages and work outside in every kind of weather. New City Carrier Assistants often face long days and weekend and holiday shifts, especially during peak package seasons. Many carriers say the first months are the hardest, before they learn the routes and earn more predictable schedules.

Do mail carriers work on weekends?

Often, yes. The Postal Service delivers mail six days a week, so Saturday work is standard, and many offices deliver packages on Sundays and holidays. City Carrier Assistants and Rural Carrier Associates usually cover those days. The Assistant Rural Carrier job exists mainly to deliver packages on Sundays and holidays.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 43-5052
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (43-5052.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Application Process, U.S. Postal Service · checked October 28, 2026
Postal Exams, U.S. Postal Service · checked October 28, 2026
Handbook EL-312, 516 Driving History, U.S. Postal Service · checked October 28, 2026
Top Jobs, U.S. Postal Service · checked October 28, 2026
Learning the ropes, USPS Link (U.S. Postal Service) · checked October 28, 2026
Postal Service Workers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
San Francisco Letter Carriers Log 78 Million Miles of Driving, U.S. Postal Service · checked October 28, 2026

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