Prevailing Wage for Postal Service Mail Carriers
Prevailing wage for Postal Service Mail Carriers, including City Letter Carriers and City Carrier Assistants (CCA), is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. DOL assigns four experience levels to this occupation, and the wage floor shifts considerably depending on the worksite city listed on the Labor Condition Application.
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Level 1 covers entry-level letter carriers with limited route experience, typically in their first year on the job, performing straightforward delivery duties under close supervision with minimal independent judgment expected.
Level 2 applies to qualified carriers who handle assigned routes with moderate independence. This is the most common filing level for Postal Service Mail Carriers, reflecting standard route delivery experience after initial training.
Level 3 reflects experienced mail carriers who regularly handle complex delivery situations, substitute on multiple routes, and exercise considerable independent judgment with minimal supervision across varied delivery environments.
Level 4 covers fully competent carriers in senior or lead roles, including those who train new carriers, oversee route operations, or serve in supervisory-adjacent capacities requiring full mastery of delivery procedures.
Prevailing Wage for Postal Service Mail Carriers by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Postal Service Mail Carriers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your worksite city before comparing wages
For city carriers, the LCA worksite address is the delivery unit or post office, not a corporate headquarters. A carrier based in Napa, CA files at a significantly higher wage floor than one in Wildwood, FL for the same SOC code.
Watch for title mismatches with USPS contractor roles
Carriers employed by USPS contractors may be filed under a different SOC than 43-5052, which means the prevailing wage floor used on the LCA may not match the DOL benchmark for Postal Service Mail Carriers. Verify the SOC code on your LCA.
Expect most sponsored positions to file at Level 2
Sponsors filing LCAs for city letter carrier roles typically use Level 2, reflecting standard route experience. Entry-level Level 1 filings are less common because most positions require prior delivery or USPS onboarding experience before sponsorship is initiated.
Find employers who have sponsored this role on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate shows historical visa sponsorship counts by employer, so you can see which companies have actually filed for Postal Service Mail Carriers before, narrowing your search to organizations with a documented track record for this specific occupation.
Jobs for Postal Service Mail Carriers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Postal Service Mail CarriersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 43-5052.00 alongside Postal Service Mail Carriers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
City Carrier Prevailing Wage
City Carrier Prevailing Wage
City Carrier positions fall under SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
City Carrier Assistant (CCA) Prevailing Wage
City Carrier Assistant (CCA) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a City Carrier Assistant (CCA) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
City Letter Carrier Prevailing Wage
City Letter Carrier Prevailing Wage
City Letter Carrier is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
City Mail Carrier Prevailing Wage
City Mail Carrier Prevailing Wage
City Mail Carrier positions fall under SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Letter Carrier Prevailing Wage
Letter Carrier Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Letter Carrier for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Mail Carrier Prevailing Wage
Mail Carrier Prevailing Wage
Mail Carrier is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Rural Carrier Prevailing Wage
Rural Carrier Prevailing Wage
Rural Carrier positions fall under SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) Prevailing Wage
Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Rural Mail Carrier Prevailing Wage
Rural Mail Carrier Prevailing Wage
Rural Mail Carrier is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Rural Route Carrier Prevailing Wage
Rural Route Carrier Prevailing Wage
Rural Route Carrier positions fall under SOC 43-5052.00 (Postal Service Mail Carriers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Postal Service Mail Carriers?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mapped to SOC code 43-5052. The resulting wage is published through OFLC and reflects actual wages paid to mail carriers across surveyed employers in each geographic area. Employers must pay at least this amount when sponsoring a worker for an H-1B, E-3, or PERM green card filing.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL assigns four levels based on experience, supervision, and job complexity. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision. Level 2 is a qualified carrier handling routes with moderate independence. Level 3 reflects experienced carriers working autonomously. Level 4 covers senior or lead roles. Review the duties described in your job offer and match them against DOL's level definitions to determine which applies to your position.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same mail carrier role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using regional OES survey data, which captures actual wages paid by employers in each metropolitan area. Because labor costs differ across regions, the wage floor for Postal Service Mail Carriers in Bozeman, MT is materially higher than in Lawton, OK. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, so the city where you physically deliver mail, not a corporate office, determines which wage applies.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA with an offered wage below the DOL prevailing wage floor for the applicable level and worksite. OFLC will not certify the LCA, and USCIS will not approve the H-1B or E-3 petition without a certified LCA. For PERM green card cases, DOL similarly requires the offered wage to meet or exceed the prevailing wage. Accepting a below-floor offer does not create a valid sponsored position.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up wages for SOC code 43-5052 filtered by the metropolitan area where the role is based. Select the wage level that matches your experience profile. You can cross-reference national and metro-level figures through the Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data. For finding employers who have previously sponsored mail carrier roles, Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by role and location.
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