Are you ready to make the move towards a better career? If so, then you will want to take a look at our compiled data on starting salary for U.S. Postal Service Mail Carriers based on industry standards, as well as state by state averages.
Usps mail carriers are the first point of contact for a customer, who is irritated by a late or missing parcel. Mail carriers are responsible for delivering millions of packages every year, and they must always be on the move and ready to go.
The starting salary for a USPS mail carrier is $18.00 per hour. As with most United States Postal Service (USPS) careers, the qualifications and requirements for becoming a mail carrier vary somewhat from state to state.
Starting Salary For USPS Mail Carrier Overview
If you’re looking to get into the mail carrier business, you’ll want to know how much it pays.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) offers several career opportunities for those who are interested in working for the postal service. One of these careers in the field is that of a mail carrier. In this position, you will be responsible for delivering mail throughout your assigned route and ensuring that all mail gets to its intended destination.
If you are considering becoming a mail carrier, you may wonder what the starting salary is for this position as well as what it will grow into after some time has passed. Let’s take a look at what USPS mail carriers make an hour and also see how they compare to other postal workers in terms of pay and benefits.
How Much Does A Usps Mail Carrier Make An Hour?
The starting salary for an entry-level position with the USPS is $17 per hour. This rate increases to $19 per hour after six months on the job and then reaches $22 per hour after one year with the company. However, there are some factors that can increase or decrease this amount depending on where you live and what type of equipment or vehicle you use while performing your duties as a mail carrier
How Much Do Postal Workers Make?
According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were more than ½ million postal workers employed in the calendar year of 2018. The BLS also reports the following salary statistics for USPS workers:
Median Annual Postal Worker Salary – $58,760, which translates to $28.25 per hour.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ published data includes the salaries from the following USPS jobs –
- Letter carriers.
- Administrative positions
- Upper management.
THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS (BLS) FOR A POSTAL SERVICE MAIL CARRIER ONLY
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offers salary and earnings data for only those postal workers who are mail carriers. The salary statistics for mail carriers during the calendar year 2018 are as follows –
Mean Annual Salary for Mail Carriers (2018) – $51,780, which translates to $24.89 per hour.
USPS SALARY PERCENTILE ESTIMATES
A Postal Worker who is at the top of their game (i.e. 90th percentile of all postal workers) earns an annual salary of nearly $64,000 (approximately $30.75 per hour). Conversely, postal workers just starting (i.e. earning in the lowest 10% of all postal workers) can anticipate an annual salary of nearly $37,000 (approximately $18 per hour).
STATES WITH THE HIGHEST POSTAL WORKER SALARIES
The following states offer the highest salaries for mail carriers and postal clerks working for the USPS –
| State | Yearly Wage (Median) | Hourly Wage (Median) |
| Hawaii | $54,250 | $26.08 |
| Arizona | $53,870 | $25.90 |
| Washington, DC | $53,840 | $25.88 |
| New Jersey | $53,750 | $25.84 |
| California | $53,660 | $25.80 |
STATES WITH THE HIGHEST POST OFFICE MAIL CARRIER, SORTERS, PROCESSORS & PROCESSING MACHINE OPERATORS SALARIES
The following states offer the highest salaries for a Postal Worker employed as a sorter, a processor or a processing machine operator –
| State | Yearly Wage (Median) | Hourly Wage (Median) |
| Delaware | $53,890 | $25.91 |
| Vermont | $53,070 | $25.51 |
| Washington, DC | $52,930 | $25.45 |
| Idaho | $52,820 | $24.40 |
| Connecticut | $51,580 | $25.28 |
METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST POSTAL WORKER MAIL CARRIER SALARIES
The following states offer the highest salaries for mail carriers working for the USPS –
| Metropolitan Area | Yearly Wage (Median) | Hourly Wage (Median) |
| San Jose-Santa Clara-Sunnyvale, CA | $55,120 | $26.50 |
| San Francisco-Hayward-Oakland, CA | $54,880 | $26.38 |
| Honolulu, HI | $54,870 | $26.38 |
| Florence, SC | $54,110 | $26.02 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | $54,030 | $25.98 |
METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST USPS POSTAL CLERK SALARIES
The following metropolitan areas offer the highest salaries of postal clerks who work for the United States Postal Service –
| Metropolitan Area | Yearly Wage (Median) | Hourly Wage (Median) |
| Prescott, AZ | $56,400 | $27.12 |
| El Centro, CA | $56,370 | $27.10 |
| Athens-Clarke, GA | $55,730 | $26.79 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $55,710 | $26.78 |
| Hickory-Morganton, NC | $55,540 | $26.70 |
METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST POSTAL WORKER MAIL CARRIER, SORTERS, PROCESSORS & PROCESSING MACHINE OPERATORS SALARIES
The following metropolitan areas offer the highest salaries of a Postal Worker employed as a sorter, a processor or a processing machine operator for the United States Postal Service
| Metropolitan Area | Yearly Wage (Median) | Hourly Wage (Median) |
| Saginaw, MI | $56,910 | $27.36 |
| Wausau, WI | $55,620 | $26.74 |
| Beaumont – Port Arthur, TX | $55,430 | $26.65 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $55,230 | $26.55 |
| New Haven, CT | $55,090 | $26.48 |
Postal Workers Salaries For Varying Jobs Within The U.S. Post Office
According to glassdoor.com, the following data represents several traditional positions available for those who have passed one of the USPS’ examinations. The jobs noted below include a City Carrier Assistant (CCA), a Mail Processing Clerk, a PSE Processing Clerk, and a City Letter Carrier.
THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE’S SKILLED LABOR & MANUFACTURING JOB POSITIONS
THE USPS CITY CARRIER ASSISTANTS (CCA) JOBS
- Average Salary – $58,515 per year.
- Range – $32,000 to $83,000.
THE USPS CITY CARRIER ASSISTANTS (CCA) JOBS – HOURLY
- Average Salary – $17 per hour.
- Range – $16 to $21 per hour.
THE USPS CITY LETTER CARRIERS – HOURLY
- Average Salary – $19 per hour.
- Range – $16 to $21 per hour.
THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE’S ADMINISTRATIVE JOB POSITIONS
THE USPS PSE PROCESSING CLERK
- PSE Processing Clerk – $17 per hour.
- Range – $15 to $21 per hour.
THE USPS MAIL PROCESSING CLERK
- Mail Processing Clerk – $49,030 per year.
- Range – $36,000 to $72,000.
POSTAL SERVICE CLERK SALARIES IN THE STATES W/THE HIGHEST EMPLOYMENT LEVELS
As of May 2018, the following states have the highest employment levels with regard to a Postal Service Clerk Salary –
| State | Yearly Wage (Median) | Hourly Wage (Median) |
| California | $53,660 | $25.80 |
| New York | $51,420 | $24.72 |
| Texas | $51,030 | $25.53 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,390 | $24.23 |
| Florida | $52,260 | $25.13 |
POSTAL SALARIES IN THE STATES W/THE HIGHEST EMPLOYMENT LEVELS FOR, SORTERS, PROCESSORS & PROCESSING MACHINE OPERATORS
As of May 2018, the following states have the highest employment levels with regard to a Postal Worker employed as a sorter, a processor or a processing machine operator –
| State | Yearly Wage (Median) | Hourly Wage (Median) |
| California | $51,520 | $24.77 |
| New York | $51,390 | $24.71 |
| Texas | $52,430 | $25.21 |
| Florida | $51,870 | $24.94 |
| Illinois | $50,880 | $24.46 |
