The salary as a mail, letter or newspaper deliverer

If you work as a mail carrier, letter carrier or newspaper deliverer in Germany, you often have a physically active job in the fresh air - with fixed routes, clear tasks and regular working hours. Some find this job monotonous and challenging, especially in changeable weather. Others, however, appreciate it precisely because of the opportunity to get to know the city and its inhabitants in a very special way. But what about the salary? Is this job worthwhile - whether full-time or mini-job?
In this article you will find all the information on hourly wages, monthly salaries and earnings in the federal states, plus tips for good part-time jobs - clearly and simply explained.

The salary as a mail, letter or newspaper deliverer

The amount of your salary depends on what exactly you deliver and how you are employed.

• Letter carriers usually work full-time for large service providers such as Deutsche Post.
• Newspaper deliverers often only work early in the morning and part-time or on a €450-538 basis (mini-job).
• If you deliver parcels, you will often use a company vehicle to do so - you will often be employed by a subcontractor, which offers a lower salary than if you were to work directly for a large service provider.
  
  

According to the Stepstone Salary Report 2024, the average annual salary for mail and letter carriers is around € 27,200 gross. This corresponds to a gross monthly salary of around €2,270 for a full-time position.

In a mini-job as a newspaper deliverer, your hourly wage is usually between €10 and €13, depending on the region and employer. Your total earnings will therefore be between €250 and €538 per month if you work regularly.

Hourly wage, monthly wage and annual salary as a mail carrier

Here is an overview:

Source: Stepstone (2024)

If you work full-time, you can look forward to a few extras: paid vacation of at least 24 days, social insurance and, depending on the employer, perhaps even a Christmas or vacation bonus. There are also sometimes bonuses for overtime, night or Sunday work. The situation is completely different with a mini-job - here you don't get any social insurance and have to take care of your health insurance and the like yourself. 

Tip: Want to know how your salary compares to other professions? Then take a look at the German average salary here.

Differences in salary between the federal states

As with many jobs in Germany, the salary of a mail carrier depends a lot on the federal state.

According to Stepstone (2024), letter carriers earn the most in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse. In the new federal states such as Saxony, Thuringia and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, earnings are often below average.

Here is a comparison (full-time letter carrier):

• Bavaria: approx. 30,000 € gross/year
• Baden-Württemberg: approx. 29,800 € gross/year
• Hesse: approx. 29,200 € gross/year
• North Rhine-Westphalia: approx. 28,000 € gross/year
• Hamburg: approx. 27,800 € gross/year
• Berlin: approx. 27,000 € gross/year
• Rhineland-Palatinate: approx. €26,800 gross/year
• Lower Saxony: approx. 26,500 € gross/year
• Schleswig-Holstein: approx. €26,300 gross/year
• Saarland: approx. € 26,000 gross/year
• Brandenburg: approx. 25,500 € gross/year
• Saxony: approx. € 25,000 gross/year
• Thuringia: approx. 24,800 € gross/year
• Saxony-Anhalt: approx. 24,600 € gross/year
• Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: approx. 24,500 € gross/year
• Bremen: approx. 24,300 € gross/year

‍

These differences are partly due to different collective agreements and the cost of living. Salaries are often somewhat higher in large cities, but so are rents.

How to find part-time jobs with the best pay

Are you looking for a job as a delivery person - perhaps at the weekend or early in the morning? Then it's worth comparing carefully. You will often find particularly lucrative offers:

• with regional newspaper publishers,
• with private parcel services,
• or at media companies such as the Medienhaus Aachenwhich is regularly looking for delivery staff.
  
  

If you don't mind physical work, it's also worth taking a look at the salary as a cleaner - where you can expect a similar hourly wage, sometimes even a little more.

Find the best job with WorkerHero - even without perfect German

Do you want to get started as a mail carrier or are you generally looking for jobs outside of offices, but with fair pay? Then WorkerHero is the right place for you! Simply register here, fill out a profile - and we'll call you to find the best job for you. Whether you've been in Germany for a long time or are brand new.

You'll also find lots of helpful articles - on salary, employment law, job applications and more - simply explained, even if you don't speak perfect German yet. Register now at workerhero.com - and discover your next job!