Jobs / Office and administrative support / 43-5052.00

Postal Service Mail Carriers

Sort and deliver mail for the United States Postal Service (USPS). Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot. Includes postal service mail carriers employed by USPS contractors.

US jobs
328,820
Median wage
$60,550 a year
Job family
Office and administrative support

Can agents do the work of postal service mail carriers?

We read the evidence for the whole job family, Office and administrative support: Most tasks (no change in 12 months)

Agents complete 60% or more of the tasks (or projects) on two direct benchmarks from independent institutions.

Evidence: OSWorld-Verified, 90.2% of tasks completed; SpreadsheetBench, 83.1% of tasks completed.

16% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.

  • 23%Process shipments or mailNot measured
  • 10%Provide information to guests, clients, or customersNot measured
  • 8%Collect fares or paymentsNot measured
  • 8%Move materials, equipment, or suppliesNot measured
  • 6%Process digital or online dataMeasured
  • 6%Sort materials or productsNot measured
  • 6%Perform administrative or clerical activitiesMeasured
  • 5%Explain regulations, policies, or proceduresNot measured

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in office and administrative support, not always this occupation's tasks.

Direct evidence

Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.

Also relevant

These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.

Context only

These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Scan labels on letters or parcels to confirm receipt.
  • Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.
  • Return to the post office with mail collected from homes, businesses, and public mailboxes.
  • Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence.
  • Deliver mail to residences and business establishments along specified routes by walking or driving, using a combination of satchels, carts, cars, and small trucks.
  • Meet schedules for the collection and return of mail.
  • Sign for cash-on-delivery and registered mail before leaving the post office.
  • Hold mail for customers who are away from delivery locations.
  • Turn in money and receipts collected along mail routes.
  • Leave notices telling patrons where to collect mail that could not be delivered.
  • Maintain accurate records of deliveries.
  • Bundle mail in preparation for delivery or transportation to relay boxes.
Other job titles for this occupation (37)

City Carrier · City Carrier Assistant (CCA) · City Letter Carrier · City Mail Carrier · Letter Carrier · Mail Carrier · Rural Carrier · Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) · Rural Mail Carrier · Rural Route Carrier · Carrier · Carrier Associate · Carrier Driver · Clerk Carrier · Collector · Delivery and Mail Sorter · Delivery Route Carrier · Mail Carrier Technician · Mail Clerk · Mail Deliverer · Mail Delivery Driver · Mail Messenger · Mail Rider · Mailman · Parcel Post Carrier · Postal Carrier · Postal Mail Carrier · Postman · Registered Route Associate · Route Carrier · Rural Carrier Associate Professional (RCA Professional) · Rural Letter Carrier · Rural Route Mail Carrier · Special Delivery Mail Carrier · Special Delivery Messenger · USPS Letter Carrier (United States Postal Service Letter Carrier) · USPS Mail Carrier (United States Postal Service Mail Carrier)