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What is a city mail 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 mail carrier. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.12 an hour? That's $35,607 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -6% and produce -29,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCity Mail CarrierUS Average
Salary
2.8

Avg. Salary $35,607

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.8

Growth rate -6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.57%

Asian 6.80%

Black or African American 12.18%

Hispanic or Latino 16.50%

Unknown 4.45%

White 59.49%

Gender

female 40.97%

male 59.03%

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 mail carrier career paths

Key steps to become a city mail carrier

  1. Explore city mail carrier education requirements

    Most common city mail carrier degrees

    Bachelor's

    30.9 %

    High School Diploma

    27.6 %

    Associate

    24.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific city mail carrier skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Delivery Sequence32.35%
    Customer Service22.55%
    Mail Delivery13.38%
    COD8.10%
    Necessary Paperwork7.02%
  3. Complete relevant city mail carrier training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New city mail 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 mail carrier based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real city mail carrier resumes.
  4. Research city mail carrier duties and responsibilities

    • Operate and maneuver a USPS delivery vehicle through residential traffic.
    • Answer questions from customers on set route in regards to USPS policies and procedures.
    • Meter outgoing military govt mail, prepare fed-ex shipments...delivery of mail to squadrons .. work in control restricted area ..
    • Separate confidential file including taxes and vouchers to facilitate IRS processing
  5. Prepare your city mail carrier resume

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

    Build a professional city mail 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 mail carrier resume.
    City Mail Carrier Resume
    City Mail Carrier Resume
    City Mail Carrier Resume
    City Mail Carrier Resume
    City Mail Carrier Resume
    City Mail Carrier Resume
    City Mail Carrier Resume
    City Mail Carrier Resume
    City Mail Carrier Resume
  6. Apply for city mail carrier jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a city mail 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 mail carrier job

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Average city mail carrier salary

The average city mail carrier salary in the United States is $35,607 per year or $17 per hour. City mail carrier salaries range between $22,000 and $57,000 per year.

Average city mail carrier salary
$35,607 Yearly
$17.12 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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