Postmasters and Mail Superintendents: Job Description
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.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Postmasters and Mail Superintendents Take On?
The core tasks performed by postmasters and mail superintendents span:
- 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.
- Negotiate labor disputes.
What Postmasters and Mail Superintendents Need to Know
Top postmasters and mail superintendents draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Delivery Supervisor
- Distribution Operation Supervisor (SDO)
- Distribution Operations Manager
- Distribution Operations Supervisor
- Mail Delivery Supervisor
- Mail Superintendent
- Order to Delivery Supervisor
- Postal Service Sectional Center Manager
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 66,829 postmasters and mail superintendents working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +11.1% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $75,454 |
| Hourly median | $36.28 |
| 10th percentile | $54,441 |
| 25th percentile | $64,948 |
| 75th percentile | $85,960 |
| 90th percentile | $96,467 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Florida | $98,990 |
| Rhode Island | $98,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $97,500 |
| California | $97,050 |
| New Jersey | $96,900 |
| Tennessee | $95,470 |
| Kentucky | $94,870 |
| Utah | $94,720 |
| Delaware | $94,550 |
| South Carolina | $94,520 |
| Arizona | $94,410 |
| Connecticut | $94,370 |
| Georgia | $94,120 |
| Indiana | $94,060 |
| Texas | $94,060 |
| Michigan | $93,940 |
| Arkansas | $93,930 |
| Hawaii | $93,910 |
| Ohio | $93,230 |
| New York | $93,230 |
| Massachusetts | $93,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,100 |
| Wisconsin | $93,080 |
| West Virginia | $92,900 |
| Louisiana | $92,870 |
| North Carolina | $92,780 |
| Oklahoma | $92,450 |
| Alabama | $92,120 |
| Missouri | $91,750 |
| Washington | $91,370 |
| Illinois | $91,370 |
| Mississippi | $91,310 |
| Maryland | $91,150 |
| Virginia | $90,520 |
| Maine | $90,250 |
| New Hampshire | $90,080 |
| Nebraska | $89,710 |
| Iowa | $89,670 |
| Minnesota | $89,670 |
| Kansas | $89,610 |
| Oregon | $89,520 |
| Colorado | $89,480 |
| Idaho | $88,780 |
| South Dakota | $88,730 |
| New Mexico | $87,980 |
| North Dakota | $87,980 |
| Vermont | $87,150 |
| Nevada | $86,320 |
| Montana | $85,320 |
| Wyoming | $82,620 |
| Alaska | $57,490 |
Where Postmasters and Mail Superintendents Earn the Most
Pay for postmasters and mail superintendents shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other U.S. Territories | $97,500 | 0.6% | 0.97 |
| Southeast | $93,752 | 23.9% | 1.18 |
| Middle Atlantic | $93,693 | 16.8% | 1.17 |
| Southwest | $93,146 | 9.8% | 0.95 |
| Great Lakes | $93,020 | 15.0% | 1.07 |
| New England | $91,853 | 7.4% | 2.11 |
| Far Western US | $90,436 | 11.4% | 1.21 |
| Plains States | $89,933 | 10.1% | 1.56 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $108,240 | 130 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | FL | $106,490 | 40 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | AZ | $103,830 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $101,670 | 40 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | MI | $100,860 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $100,460 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $100,210 | 80 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | TX | $100,190 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of postmasters and mail superintendents are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 13,810 | $92,730 |
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for postmasters and mail superintendents reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Time Pressure
- Telephone Conversations
How to Become Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
Most postmasters and mail superintendents positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Primary-Short)
- Logisticians (Supplemental)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers (Primary-Long)
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (Primary-Short)
- Customer Service Representatives (Supplemental)
- Order Clerks (Supplemental)
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Future postmasters and mail superintendents often complete programs in:
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9131.00 (Postmasters and Mail Superintendents).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.