Also called: Letter Carrier, Rural Carrier
Delivers mail and packages on foot or by vehicle along a daily route for the U.S. Postal Service.
A mail carrier sorts and loads mail in the morning, then walks or drives the route, scanning packages, chatting with regulars, and watching for anything unusual, like an elderly customer whose mail is piling up.
Union pay rises with years of service.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. No degree; pass a postal exam and background check.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Growing slowly (about 0% over 10 years). BLS 2025-35 projection band for SOC 43-5052: Little or no change.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Letter mail keeps falling and route tech improves; carriers still deliver daily, with fewer routes by 2036.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply on the USPS Careers site and take the online assessment First: USPS virtual entry assessment, background check and driving record check
Classes: Geography, PE or fitness.
Official data: O*NET occupation 43-5052.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.