Mail Carrier Salary: What You’ll Make and Why
Mail carriers make around $32,788 to $52,583 on average in the US, depending on experience, location, skills, and other factors.
According to various salary aggregate websites, a mail carrier’s salary in the US ranges between $32,788 and $52,583, with an average salary of $45,388. As of June 2022, the base salaries for mail carriers are listed as follows:
| Payscale | ZipRecruiter | Indeed | Salary.com | Glassdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $51,865 | $32,788 | $52,583 | $37,778 | $51,926 |
Keep in mind: Salary aggregate websites typically rely on data submitted anonymously by individuals using their site. Some websites may have received larger amounts of data of either higher or lower than average salaries, which may affect the site’s calculated average.
Read more: What Is a Mail Carrier? How to Become One
What influences a salary?
The salary of a mail carrier is determined by a few different factors, including the size of the route, the location, and the level of experience. Let’s take a closer look at how these factors can impact your earnings.
Years of experience
Salary increases are generally tied to your experience level. In general, the more years you spend working as a mail carrier, the more you can expect to earn. Here’s how experience can impact your mail carrier salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey.
| Level of experience | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (less than 1 year) | $35,661 |
| Early career (1 to 4 years) | $39,099 |
| Mid career (5 to 9 years) | $45,865 |
| Experienced (10 to 19 years) | $55,502 |
| Late career (20+ years) | $57,098 |
Location
Where you live can also impact how much you can make as a mail carrier. Typically, working in a large metropolitan area correlates to a higher salary, as well as a higher cost of living.
Here is a list of some major cities with their corresponding average mail carrier salary according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $47,522 |
| San Francisco, CA | $47,240 |
| Boston, MA | $46,779 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $46,412 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $46,165 |
| Denver, CO | $44,961 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $44,884 |
| New Orleans, LA | $44,705 |
| Portland, OR | $44,663 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $44,586 |
How does this compare to similar jobs?
Here’s how a mail carrier’s salary stacks up against similar jobs.
| Related Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Courier | $33,699 |
| Package Handler | $32,236 |
| Postal Clerk | $34,253 |
| Processing Clerk | $30,714 |
| Distribution Associate | $28,198 |
| Shipping and Receiving Clerk | $30,664 |
| Warehouse Associate | $28,870 |
| Inventory Specialist | $33,083 |
| Logistics Specialist | $43,414 |
How to increase your mail carrier salary
Now that you have a better idea of what you could expect to earn as a mail carrier, let’s look at ways to boost your salary.
1. Strengthen your skills
Pursuing and improving in-demand skills could make you more competitive for promotions and higher-paying positions. These skills include:
- Time Management: Be able to plan and execute a daily delivery route
- Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service when delivering mail and responding to customer inquiries
- Safety: Follow all safety protocols when operating a vehicle and handling mail
- Physical Fitness: Be able to lift and carry heavy packages, as well as walk long distances
- Attention to Detail: Be able to accurately sort and deliver mail
2. Maintain a consistent performance
While there may not be much room for negotiation when it comes to your salary as a mail carrier, you can still try to increase your earnings by maintaining a consistent level of performance. This means arriving on time, being polite to customers, and taking care not to damage any mail. If your employer sees that you’re a reliable and hardworking employee, they may be more likely to give you a raise down the line.
3. Talk to Recruiters
If you’re looking for a raise, it can’t hurt to put feelers out there and see what other mail carriers are making. Talk to a few different recruiters, and see if they have any insight into what the going rate is for your position. You may find that you’re being underpaid, and that knowledge can be used to your advantage when negotiating a raise with your current employer.
Article Sources
1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “National Compensation Survey, https://www.bls.gov/ncs/.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
2. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes435052.htm.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
3. Payscale. “Postal Service Mail Carrier Hourly Pay, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Postal_Service_Mail_Carrier/Hourly_Rate.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
4. Ziprecruiter. “MAIL Carrier Annual Salary, https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/MAIL-Carrier-Salary.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
5. Indeed. “Indeed Salary Finder, https://www.indeed.com/career/salaries.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
6. Salary.com. “Mail Carrier Salary, https://www.salary.com/research/salary/hiring/mail-carrier-salary.” Accessed June 2, 2022.
7. Glassdoor. “Mail Carrier Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/mail-carrier-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm.” Accessed June 2, 2022.