Occupations · Management

Postmasters and Mail Superintendents

Plan, direct, or coordinate operational, administrative, management, and support services of a U.S. post office; or coordinate activities of workers engaged in postal and related work in assigned post office.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 11-9131.00

$92,730median annual wage, May 2024

13,810people employed, United States

▼ 3.5%projected change, 2024→2034

900openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 85% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$98,030	550
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$95,580	250
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	$95,010	210
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$98,550	180
Pittsburgh, PA	$97,160	150
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$92,790	130
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$108,240	130
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$94,990	110
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$91,310	110
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$99,590	100
St. Louis, MO-IL	$94,620	100
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	$99,130	90

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Monitor employees' work schedules and attendance for payroll purposes.
Organize and supervise activities, such as the processing of incoming and outgoing mail.
Resolve customer complaints.
Prepare employee work schedules.
Direct and coordinate operational, management, and supportive services of one or a number of postal facilities.
Hire and train employees, and evaluate their performance.
Prepare and submit detailed and summary reports of post office activities to designated supervisors.
Select and train postmasters and managers of associate postal units.
Inform the public of available services, and of postal laws and regulations.
Negotiate labor disputes.
Issue and cash money orders.
Collect rents for post office boxes.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Speaking4.0

Active Listening4.0

Reading Comprehension4.0

Critical Thinking3.8

Monitoring3.8

Learning Strategies3.4

Writing3.2

Active Learning3.2

Mathematics2.8

Science1.5

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Windows●Microsoft Word●SAP software●Collection Point Management System CPMSEmail softwareFacility database softwarePayroll softwarePersonnel management softwarePersonnel scheduling softwarePostal boundary mapping softwarePostal tracking softwareVehicle management softwareWeb Box Activity Tracing System WebBATSWeb browser softwareeBuy

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

2 / 5Some preparation — a school diploma and a few months of on-the-job training.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets−1.6 below average

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls−1.5 below average

Public Speaking+1.5 above average

Written Letters and Memos+1.4 above average

Health and Safety of Other Workers+1.4 above average

Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People+1.4 above average

Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers+1.4 above average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2016-07

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)62%

Bachelor's Degree13%

Some College Courses11%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)7%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2016-07

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Enterprising6.0

Conventional5.7

Social3.4

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

Tasks O*NET flags as emerging

Monitor employees' work schedules and attendance for payroll purposes.

O*NET 20.3 emerging tasks

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Social Perceptiveness4.0

Coordination4.0

Time Management4.0

Management of Personnel Resources3.9

Negotiation3.6

Service Orientation3.4

Instructing3.2

Judgment and Decision Making3.2

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

Administration and ManagementPublic Safety and SecurityEnglish LanguageProduction and ProcessingCustomer and Personal ServiceEducation and Training

Abilities it leans on

Oral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionOral ExpressionSpeech ClarityDeductive ReasoningSpeech Recognition

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

PostmasterPostal SupervisorDelivery SupervisorMail SuperintendentPostal SuperintendentPostmaster Relief (PMR)Mail Delivery SupervisorService Delivery SupervisorOrder to Delivery SupervisorRemote Encoding Center ManagerDistribution Operations ManagerDistribution Operations SupervisorRemote Encoding Operations SupervisorPostal Service Sectional Center Manager

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.

Now listed 7

+Microsoft Word+Microsoft Outlook+Microsoft Excel+Microsoft Windows+Microsoft PowerPoint+SAP software+Microsoft Office software

No longer listed 2

−Point of sale POS software−Data entry software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

PostmasterSuperintendentBranch ManagerStation ManagerWorkgroup LeaderPostal SupervisorDelivery SupervisorMail SuperintendentPostal SuperintendentOperations SupervisorStation SuperintendentPostal Support Employee

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

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