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What is a city carrier and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a city carrier. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.43 an hour? That's $36,251 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -6% and produce -29,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCity CarrierUS Average
Salary
2.8

Avg. Salary $36,251

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.8

Growth rate -6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.56%

Asian 6.51%

Black or African American 11.76%

Hispanic or Latino 17.23%

Unknown 4.30%

White 59.63%

Gender

female 42.37%

male 57.63%

Age - 51
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 51
Stress level
5.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

City carrier career paths

Key steps to become a city carrier

  1. Explore city carrier education requirements

    Most common city carrier degrees

    Bachelor's

    35.5 %

    Associate

    25.7 %

    High School Diploma

    22.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific city carrier skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Delivery Sequence26.52%
    Customer Service19.68%
    Place Packages10.34%
    Mail Delivery8.77%
    COD7.34%
  3. Complete relevant city carrier training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New city carriers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a city carrier based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real city carrier resumes.
  4. Research city carrier duties and responsibilities

    • Scan and monitor the shipment of mail, parcels and packages within the USPS delivery system.
    • Oversee digital processing of updates and address changes within the USPS computer system for multiple carrier routes.
    • Supervise and direct military and civilian personnel in the performance of daily supply logistics support functions.
    • Pass testing requirements including speed and accuracy in memorization as well as organizational skills.
  5. Prepare your city carrier resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your city carrier resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a city carrier resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable city carrier resume templates

    Build a professional city carrier resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your city carrier resume.
    City Carrier Resume
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    City Carrier Resume
    City Carrier Resume
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    City Carrier Resume
    City Carrier Resume
    City Carrier Resume
    City Carrier Resume
  6. Apply for city carrier jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a city carrier job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first city carrier job

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Average city carrier salary

The average city carrier salary in the United States is $36,251 per year or $17 per hour. City carrier salaries range between $21,000 and $59,000 per year.

Average city carrier salary
$36,251 Yearly
$17.43 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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