Rural carrier demographics and statistics in the US
Rural carrier demographics research summary. Zippia estimates rural carrier demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our rural 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 rural carriers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 168,314 rural carriers currently employed in the United States.
- 62.0% of all rural carriers are women, while 38.0% are men.
- The average rural carrier age is 49 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of rural carriers is White (61.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.2%), Black or African American (11.9%) and Asian (6.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 91% of what men earned.
- 9% of all rural carriers are LGBT.
- Rural carriers are 70% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Rural carrier demographics by:
Rural carrier gender statistics
62.0% of rural carriers are women and 38.0% of rural carriers are men.
- Female, 62.0%
- Male, 38.0%
Rural carrier gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 62.0% |
| Male | 38.0% |
Rural carrier gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$39,668
Female income
$36,071
Rural carrier gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in rural carrier positions over time. Currently, 62.0% of rural carriers are female.
Rural carrier gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 43.85% | 56.15% |
| 2011 | 43.49% | 56.51% |
| 2012 | 42.51% | 57.49% |
| 2013 | 41.22% | 58.78% |
| 2014 | 38.95% | 61.05% |
| 2015 | 38.76% | 61.24% |
| 2016 | 40.23% | 59.77% |
| 2017 | 40.04% | 59.96% |
| 2018 | 38.91% | 61.09% |
| 2019 | 41.25% | 58.75% |
| 2020 | 38.81% | 61.19% |
| 2021 | 38.02% | 61.98% |
Rural carrier related jobs gender ratio
We compared rural 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% |
| Rural Carrier | 38% | 62% |
| 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%
Rural carrier demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among rural carriers is White, which makes up 61.4% of all rural carriers. Comparatively, 15.2% of rural carriers are Hispanic or Latino and 11.9% of rural carriers are Black or African American.
- White, 61.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.2%
- Black or African American, 11.9%
- Asian, 6.7%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Rural carrier race
| Rural carrier race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.2% |
| Black or African American | 11.9% |
| Asian | 6.7% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Rural carrier race and ethnicity over time
See how rural carrier racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Rural carrier race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.09% | 11.72% | 6.40% | 11.84% |
| 2011 | 68.98% | 11.61% | 6.12% | 11.06% |
| 2012 | 69.35% | 11.42% | 6.35% | 11.21% |
| 2013 | 68.38% | 10.82% | 6.35% | 12.14% |
| 2014 | 65.99% | 12.37% | 6.20% | 13.03% |
| 2015 | 68.33% | 11.69% | 6.05% | 12.09% |
| 2016 | 65.72% | 12.29% | 6.87% | 12.66% |
| 2017 | 64.19% | 12.82% | 6.79% | 13.77% |
| 2018 | 66.01% | 12.31% | 6.35% | 13.19% |
| 2019 | 65.32% | 11.95% | 6.79% | 13.59% |
| 2020 | 62.06% | 11.56% | 7.31% | 14.06% |
| 2021 | 61.36% | 11.89% | 6.67% | 15.20% |
Rural carrier wage gap by race
According to our data, asian rural carriers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown rural carriers have the lowest average salary at $37,977.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,977 |
| White | $40,320 |
| Black or African American | $38,051 |
| Asian | $43,887 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,412 |
Average rural carrier age
See how the average age of rural carriers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Rural 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 |
Rural carrier age breakdown
The average age of rural carriers is 40+ years years old, representing 80% of the rural carrier population.
Rural carrier age breakdown
| Rural Carrier Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 80% |
| 30-40 years | 17% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Rural carrier educational attainment
The most common degree for rural carriers is high school diploma, with 29% of rural carriers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 28% and associate degree degree at 26%.
- High School Diploma, 29%
- Associate, 28%
- Bachelor's, 26%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Rural carriers by degree level
| Rural carrier degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 29% |
| Associate | 28% |
| Bachelor's | 26% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Rural carrier jobs you might like
Rural carrier wage gap by degree level
According to the data, rural carriers with a High School Diploma degree earn more than those without, at $42,309 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, rural carriers earn a median annual income of $41,000 compared to $40,544 for rural carriers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,309 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,000 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,544 |
Rural carrier employment statistics
Most rural carriers work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where rural carriers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where rural carriers work.
Rural carrier jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 38% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 10% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Rural carrier jobs by company type
Employees with the rural carrier job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most rural carriers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Rural carrier jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 70% |
| Government | 14% |
Rural carrier jobs by industry
The most common industries for rural carriers are media, government and transportation.
Rural carrier industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 20% |
| Government | 12% |
| Transportation | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
Rural carrier turnover and employment statistics
Rural carrier unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for rural carriers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Rural carrier unemployment rate by year
| Year | Rural 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 rural carrier tenure
The average rural carrier stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,505 rural carriers resumes in Zippia's database.
Rural carrier tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 20% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Rural carrier LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of rural 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Stocker | 6.40% | 32,321 |
| Circular Distributor | 8.26% | 2,618 |
| Rural Carrier | 9.48% | - |
| Postal Worker | 10.33% | 26,840 |
| Production Expediter | 10.63% | 51,674 |
| Mail Processing Clerk | 11.70% | 106,426 |
| Emergency Dispatcher | 17.25% | 29,409 |
Similar rural carrier jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Stocker | 6.40% | 32,321 |
| Circular Distributor | 8.26% | 2,618 |
| Postal Worker | 10.33% | 26,840 |
| Production Expediter | 10.63% | 51,674 |
| Mail Processing Clerk | 11.70% | 106,426 |
| Emergency Dispatcher | 17.25% | 29,409 |
Foreign languages spoken by rural carriers
The most common foreign language among rural carriers is Spanish at 66.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.3% and Swedish is the third-most popular at 4.2%.
- Spanish, 66.7%
- French, 8.3%
- Swedish, 4.2%
- Portuguese, 4.2%
- Chinese, 4.2%
- Other, 12.4%
Rural carrier languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.7% |
| French | 8.3% |
| Swedish | 4.2% |
| Portuguese | 4.2% |
| Chinese | 4.2% |
| Other | 12.4% |
