Postal carrier demographics and statistics in the US
Postal carrier demographics research summary. Zippia estimates postal carrier demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our postal carrier estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about postal carriers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 196,525 postal carriers currently employed in the United States.
- 44.0% of all postal carriers are women, while 56.0% are men.
- The average postal carrier age is 49 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of postal carriers is White (60.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.0%), Black or African American (11.3%) and Asian (6.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 92% of what men earned.
- 9% of all postal carriers are LGBT.
- Postal carriers are 54% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Postal carrier demographics by:
Postal carrier gender statistics
44.0% of postal carriers are women and 56.0% of postal carriers are men.
- Male, 56.0%
- Female, 44.0%
Postal carrier gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 56.0% |
| Female | 44.0% |
Postal carrier gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,014
Female income
$33,310
Postal carrier gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in postal carrier positions over time. Currently, 44.0% of postal carriers are female.
Postal carrier gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.80% | 38.20% |
| 2011 | 61.46% | 38.54% |
| 2012 | 60.51% | 39.49% |
| 2013 | 59.24% | 40.76% |
| 2014 | 56.93% | 43.07% |
| 2015 | 56.74% | 43.26% |
| 2016 | 58.24% | 41.76% |
| 2017 | 58.05% | 41.95% |
| 2018 | 56.89% | 43.11% |
| 2019 | 59.27% | 40.73% |
| 2020 | 56.79% | 43.21% |
| 2021 | 55.97% | 44.03% |
Postal carrier related jobs gender ratio
We compared postal carriers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, centrifugal operator and flight information expediter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetician | 3% | 97% |
| Schedule Checker | 10% | 90% |
| Plant Clerk | 14% | 86% |
| Postal Carrier | 56% | 44% |
| Raw Scales Operator | 95% | 5% |
| Flight Information Expediter | 95% | 5% |
| Centrifugal Operator | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Postal carrier demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among postal carriers is White, which makes up 60.5% of all postal carriers. Comparatively, 17.0% of postal carriers are Hispanic or Latino and 11.3% of postal carriers are Black or African American.
- White, 60.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.0%
- Black or African American, 11.3%
- Asian, 6.5%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Postal carrier race
| Postal carrier race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.0% |
| Black or African American | 11.3% |
| Asian | 6.5% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Postal carrier race and ethnicity over time
See how postal carrier racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Postal carrier race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.26% | 11.10% | 6.20% | 13.63% |
| 2011 | 68.16% | 11.00% | 5.93% | 12.85% |
| 2012 | 68.53% | 10.80% | 6.16% | 13.00% |
| 2013 | 67.56% | 10.20% | 6.15% | 13.93% |
| 2014 | 65.16% | 11.76% | 6.00% | 14.82% |
| 2015 | 67.51% | 11.07% | 5.86% | 13.88% |
| 2016 | 64.90% | 11.68% | 6.68% | 14.45% |
| 2017 | 63.37% | 12.20% | 6.60% | 15.56% |
| 2018 | 65.19% | 11.69% | 6.16% | 14.98% |
| 2019 | 64.50% | 11.33% | 6.60% | 15.38% |
| 2020 | 61.24% | 10.94% | 7.12% | 15.85% |
| 2021 | 60.53% | 11.27% | 6.48% | 16.99% |
Postal carrier wage gap by race
According to our data, asian postal carriers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown postal carriers have the lowest average salary at $34,748.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $34,748 |
| White | $36,499 |
| Black or African American | $34,804 |
| Asian | $39,130 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,075 |
Average postal carrier age
See how the average age of postal carriers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Postal carrier age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45.5 | 49 |
| White | 50 | 53 |
| Black or African American | 49 | 46 |
| Asian | 53 | 51 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 50 | 48 |
Postal carrier age breakdown
The average age of postal carriers is 40+ years years old, representing 80% of the postal carrier population.
Postal carrier age breakdown
| Postal Carrier Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 80% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Postal carrier educational attainment
The most common degree for postal carriers is bachelor's degree, with 33% of postal carriers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 26% and high school diploma degree at 25%.
- Bachelor's, 33%
- High School Diploma, 26%
- Associate, 25%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Postal carriers by degree level
| Postal carrier degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 33% |
| High School Diploma | 26% |
| Associate | 25% |
| Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Postal carrier jobs you might like
Postal carrier wage gap by degree level
According to the data, postal carriers with a High School Diploma degree earn more than those without, at $37,971 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, postal carriers earn a median annual income of $37,003 compared to $36,665 for postal carriers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,971 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $37,003 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,665 |
Postal carrier employment statistics
Most postal carriers work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where postal carriers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where postal carriers work.
Postal carrier jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 14% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Postal carrier jobs by company type
Employees with the postal carrier job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most postal carriers prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Postal carrier jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 20% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 54% |
| Government | 12% |
Postal carrier jobs by industry
The most common industries for postal carriers are professional, education and government.
Postal carrier industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 20% |
| Education | 17% |
| Government | 11% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 9% |
| Transportation | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
Postal carrier turnover and employment statistics
Postal carrier unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for postal carriers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Postal carrier unemployment rate by year
| Year | Postal carrier unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.81% |
| 2011 | 2.02% |
| 2012 | 1.82% |
| 2013 | 2.06% |
| 2014 | 1.83% |
| 2015 | 1.86% |
| 2016 | 1.59% |
| 2017 | 1.50% |
| 2018 | 1.54% |
| 2019 | 1.39% |
| 2020 | 1.42% |
| 2021 | 2.10% |
Average postal carrier tenure
The average postal carrier stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,179 postal carriers resumes in Zippia's database.
Postal carrier tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 28% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Postal carrier LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of postal carriers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory Technician | 6.40% | 212,629 |
| Medical Courier | 8.26% | 55,615 |
| Postal Carrier | 9.48% | - |
| Postal Transportation Clerk | 10.33% | 78,807 |
| Flight Information Expediter | 10.63% | 59,929 |
| Mail Processing | 11.70% | 39,778 |
| Medical Dispatcher | 17.25% | 48,418 |
Similar postal carrier jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory Technician | 6.40% | 212,629 |
| Medical Courier | 8.26% | 55,615 |
| Postal Transportation Clerk | 10.33% | 78,807 |
| Flight Information Expediter | 10.63% | 59,929 |
| Mail Processing | 11.70% | 39,778 |
| Medical Dispatcher | 17.25% | 48,418 |
Foreign languages spoken by postal carriers
The most common foreign language among postal carriers is Spanish at 48.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 15.4% and French is the third-most popular at 10.3%.
- Spanish, 48.7%
- German, 15.4%
- French, 10.3%
- Carrier, 10.3%
- Dutch, 2.6%
- Other, 12.7%
Postal carrier languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.7% |
| German | 15.4% |
| French | 10.3% |
| Carrier | 10.3% |
| Dutch | 2.6% |
| Other | 12.7% |
