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Occupation AtlasPostal Service Mail Carriers

O*NET · 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.

Also called Carrier · Carrier Associate · Carrier Driver · CCA · City Carrier · City Carrier Assistant (CCA) · City Letter Carrier · City Mail Carrier
34 more

Clerk Carrier · Collector · Delivery and Mail Sorter · Delivery Route Carrier · Letter Carrier · Mail 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 · RCA · RCA Professional · Registered Route Associate · Route Carrier · Rural Carrier · Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) · Rural Carrier Associate Professional (RCA Professional) · Rural Letter Carrier · Rural Mail Carrier · Rural Route Carrier · Rural Route Mail Carrier · Special Delivery Mail Carrier · Special Delivery Messenger · USPS Letter Carrier · USPS Letter Carrier (United States Postal Service Letter Carrier) · USPS Mail Carrier · USPS Mail Carrier (United States Postal Service Mail Carrier)

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code CRE35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Cooks, Fast Food

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

CREConventional · Realistic · Enterprising — the three strongest interests, in order

  • C Conventional6.27
  • R Realistic3.56
  • E Enterprising2.91
  • S Social2.69
  • I Investigative1.00
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma15%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent78%
  • Some College Courses7%
Related work experience
None (76%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (60%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (44%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Active Listeningbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Social Perceptiveness3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Speakingbasic3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Time Management2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Coordination2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Monitoringbasic2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Service Orientation2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Complex Problem Solving2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Operation and Control2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
Show the other 23

Tasks

17 core · 4 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Scan labels on letters or parcels to confirm receipt.4.8
  2. Obtain signed receipts for registered, certified, and insured mail, collect associated charges, and complete any necessary paperwork.4.7
  3. Return to the post office with mail collected from homes, businesses, and public mailboxes.4.7
  4. Sort mail for delivery, arranging it in delivery sequence.4.6
  5. Deliver mail to residences and business establishments along specified routes by walking or driving, using a combination of satchels, carts, cars, and small trucks.4.6
  6. Meet schedules for the collection and return of mail.4.6
  7. Sign for cash-on-delivery and registered mail before leaving the post office.4.5
  8. Turn in money and receipts collected along mail routes.4.4
  9. Hold mail for customers who are away from delivery locations.4.4
  10. Leave notices telling patrons where to collect mail that could not be delivered.4.4
  11. Bundle mail in preparation for delivery or transportation to relay boxes.4.3
  12. Maintain accurate records of deliveries.4.3
Show the other 9
  1. Record address changes and redirect mail for those addresses.4.1
  2. Return incorrectly addressed mail to senders.4.1
  3. Answer customers' questions about postal services and regulations.4.0
  4. Provide customers with change of address cards and other forms.3.4
  5. Report any unusual circumstances concerning mail delivery, including the condition of street letter boxes.3.3
  6. Register, certify, and insure parcels and letters.4.5
  7. Travel to post offices to pick up the mail for routes or pick up mail from postal relay boxes.4.1
  8. Sell stamps and money orders.3.8
  9. Complete forms that notify publishers of address changes.3.6

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service4.34.7Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • English Language3.33.0Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Public Safety and Security3.22.9
  • Sales and Marketing3.22.9
  • Transportation3.02.8
  • Administration and Management2.92.6
  • Education and Training2.73.1Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Production and Processing2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
Show all 33
  • Administrative2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Mathematics2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Geography2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Computers and Electronics2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Law and Government2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Psychology2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Communications and Media2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Telecommunications1.80.8Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Economics and Accounting1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Foreign Language1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Mechanical1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Chemistry1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Design1.4—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.4—
  • Engineering and Technology1.3—
  • Building and Construction1.2—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.2—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.2—
  • Physics1.2—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Biology1.0—
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • Food Production1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Information Ordering3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Near Vision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Category Flexibility3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Oral Comprehension3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Problem Sensitivity3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Speech Clarity3.02.4Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Speech Recognition3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
Show all 52
  • Trunk Strength3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Written Comprehension3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Control Precision2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Extent Flexibility2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Finger Dexterity2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Manual Dexterity2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Multilimb Coordination2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Oral Expression2.93.5Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Selective Attention2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Static Strength2.92.6
  • Deductive Reasoning2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Flexibility of Closure2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Inductive Reasoning2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Perceptual Speed2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Stamina2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Time Sharing2.52.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Auditory Attention2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Depth Perception2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Gross Body Coordination2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Spatial Orientation2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Written Expression2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Dynamic Strength2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Memorization2.11.3Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Rate Control2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Response Orientation2.12.3Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Fluency of Ideas2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Glare Sensitivity2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Night Vision2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Originality2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Peripheral Vision2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Reaction Time2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Sound Localization2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Speed of Closure2.01.3
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Visualization2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Explosive Strength1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Number Facility1.81.3Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.81.3Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Mathematical Reasoning1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.50.6

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.23.5Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.95.6
  • Getting Information3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates2.92.6
Show all 41
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events2.92.7
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.72.0Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Check to see if baking bread is done
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Determine the meal selection for a cafeteria
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work2.62.6
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Keep up with price changes in a small retail store
  • Processing Information2.42.2Level 1 looks like: Calculate the costs for shipping packages
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Review forms for completeness
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Check that doors to building are locked
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Determine whether to remove a tree that has been damaged
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.21.5Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Training and Teaching Others2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Give coworkers brief instructions on a simple procedural change
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.11.6Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Assisting and Caring for Others1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Coaching and Developing Others1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Show a coworker how to operate a piece of equipment
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others1.91.1Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others1.81.1Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Analyzing Data or Information1.71.0Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Thinking Creatively1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Change the spacing on a printed report
  • Working with Computers1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Scheduling Work and Activities1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Controlling Machines and Processes1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Operate a cash register
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Exchange information during a shift change
  • Developing and Building Teams1.50.6Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources1.4—
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.4—
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.3—
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.2—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.9
  • In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment4.8
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.6
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.5
  • Importance of Repeating Same Tasks4.3
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.2
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.2
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.1
  • Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures4.1
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.1

Technology

10 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (3)

  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (7)
  • Address Management System AMS
  • Automated Data Collection System ADCS
  • Delivery operations information system DOIS
  • Delivery Routing System DRS
  • Electronic Time Clock ETC
  • End of Run Report EOR
  • Time and Attendance Collection System TACS

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Postal Service Clerks
  2. Couriers and Messengers
  3. Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
  4. Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
  5. Cargo and Freight Agents
  6. Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
  7. Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
  8. Light Truck Drivers
  9. Freight Forwarders
  10. Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.