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.
Median pay
$96,660
Growth to 2035
0%
little or no change
Openings a year
900
Time to qualify*
2.5 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Postmasters and mail superintendents
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- Less than 5 years
Calculate your switch to postmasters and mail superintendents
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Exposure to disease
Postmasters and mail superintendents: 67% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: Delivery Supervisor · Distribution Operation Supervisor (SDO) · Distribution Operations Manager · Distribution Operations Supervisor · Mail Delivery Supervisor · Postal Supervisor · Postmaster · Postmaster Relief (PMR)
Outlook and AI
Postmasters and mail superintendents held 13,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 13,200 by 2035 (0%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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- Postmasters and mail superintendents vs. Administrative services manager
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- Postmasters and mail superintendents vs. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers