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Postmaster: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$96,660median pay per year, or $46.47 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $85,090lowest 10% earn less
  2. $90,65025th percentile
  3. $96,660median
  4. $102,96075th percentile
  5. $111,740top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Postmasters and mail superintendents had a median pay of $96,660 a year, well above the typical US job[1][2]. Jobs are projected to shrink slightly, by 0.3% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-0.3%[3]
Openings per year
900[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do postmasters make?

The median pay for postmasters and mail superintendents was $96,660 a year, or $46.47 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $97,360 a year, or $46.81 an hour[7].

The range is fairly tight. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $85,090 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $111,740[4]. A percentile is a boundary point in the pay list, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[8].

Measure Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][9] $85,090 $40.91
25th percentile[4][9] $90,650 $43.58
Median[1] $96,660 $46.47
75th percentile[4][9] $102,960 $49.50
90th percentile[4][9] $111,740 $53.72

For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[2]. These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

Florida had the top state median at $102,880 a year, followed by California at $101,150 and New Jersey at $101,100[11]. Alaska was far lower than the rest, at $59,340[11].

The most jobs were in New York (830), Texas (820), California (800), Pennsylvania (800) and Illinois (510)[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the top median at $113,430, then Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington at $102,610[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, about 550, with a median of $101,150[14].

Show median pay in 50 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Florida[11]$102,880350
California$101,150800
New Jersey$101,100440
Rhode Island$99,90040
Tennessee$99,170260
Hawaii$99,07060
Arizona$99,050150
South Carolina$98,940210
Indiana$98,680290
Kentucky$98,570240
Utah$98,570110
Delaware$98,55040
Arkansas$97,880180
Connecticut$97,880160
Michigan$97,790450
Ohio$97,680510
New York$97,640830
Texas$97,550820
Pennsylvania$97,530800
Georgia$97,050340
Massachusetts$96,870330
Wisconsin$96,810340
Louisiana$96,550250
North Carolina$96,410480
West Virginia$96,260180
Oklahoma$96,080240
Alabama$95,740280
Missouri$95,680300
Washington$95,430280
Mississippi$95,270190
Illinois$94,970510
Maryland$94,890230
Virginia$94,790370
Nebraska$94,040150
Oregon$93,180220
Iowa$93,160260
Kansas$93,080190
Colorado$93,000200
Maine$93,000180
New Hampshire$92,980160
Idaho$92,820130
Minnesota$92,410320
South Dakota$91,540100
New Mexico$91,500140
North Dakota$91,04090
Vermont$89,890120
Nevada$89,77070
Montana$88,920170
Wyoming$88,04080
Alaska$59,340170

How to become a postmaster

BLS describes the typical path like this[6]:

In an O*NET survey of 29 workers, 62% said a high school diploma or equivalent was the education level required[15]. Another 13% said a bachelor's degree[15]. With so few respondents, treat these as a rough picture only.

O*NET places the job in a zone where some roles need little experience and others need several months to a year[16].

What postmasters do

Postmasters plan and direct the services of a post office, and they coordinate the people doing postal work there[17]. Tasks reported to O*NET include[18]:

Workers in this field report job titles such as postal supervisor, mail delivery supervisor and distribution operations manager[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 0.3% from 2025 to 2035[3], from about 13,300 to 13,200 jobs. These counts include self-employed workers[3]. All occupations together are projected to grow 3.5%[20].

Still, jobs come open. About 900 openings a year are projected on average[5]. They include jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, not only new positions[5]. Each year, 2.6% of workers leave the labor force and 4.3% move to a different occupation[21].

The OEWS count was about 13,810 wage and salary jobs in May 2025, not counting self-employed workers[22].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show strong pay for a job that typically asks for a high school diploma, some related experience and on-the-job training[1][2][6]. The pay range is narrow, so the gap between lower and higher earners is small[4]. The tradeoff is a flat to shrinking job count[3]. The work centers on managing staff, schedules, complaints and reports[18]. That may suit people who like running a team more than doing hands-on mail work.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a postmaster make an hour?
The median was $46.47 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $46.81[1][7].
What education do you need to be a postmaster?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, plus related experience and on-the-job training[6].
Is postmaster a growing job?
No. Employment is projected to decline 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3][20]. About 900 openings a year are still projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for postmasters?
Florida had the top median at $102,880 a year, ahead of California at $101,150[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents in the US was $96,660 per year and $46.47 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Postmasters and Mail Superintendents is projected to decline 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 13,300 to 13,200 jobs (a change of +0). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents: 10th percentile $85,090, 25th percentile $90,650, 75th percentile $102,960, 90th percentile $111,740. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 900 openings for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Postmasters and Mail Superintendents: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents was $97,360 per year and $46.81 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents: 10th percentile $40.91, 25th percentile $43.58, 75th percentile $49.50, 90th percentile $53.72. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Postmasters and Mail Superintendents jobs: New York 830; Texas 820; California 800; Pennsylvania 800; Illinois 510. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $113,430; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $102,610; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $101,150; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $101,150; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $101,130; Pittsburgh, PA $100,780; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $99,840; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $98,570. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Postmasters and Mail Superintendents jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 550 (median $101,150); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 240 (median $99,840); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 200 (median $101,130); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 180 (median $101,150); Pittsburgh, PA 150 (median $100,780); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 130 (median $97,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 11-9131.00 survey of workers (29 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 62%, Bachelor's Degree 13%, Some College Courses 11%, Post-Secondary Certificate 7%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 11-9131.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Postmasters and Mail Superintendents. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 11-9131.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Delivery Supervisor, Distribution Operation Supervisor (SDO), Distribution Operations Manager, Distribution Operations Supervisor, Mail Delivery Supervisor, Postal Supervisor, Postmaster, Postmaster Relief (PMR). O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents: 2.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 13,810 people were employed as Postmasters and Mail Superintendents in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.