Postal Service Mail Carriers Salary
The median pay for a postal service mail carriers in Anchorage, AK is $59,880/year ($28.79/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $56,801 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,376/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About postal service mail carriers
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What this looks like in Anchorage
Postal service mail carriers pay in Anchorage tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,376/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for postal service mail carriers in metros near Anchorage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College | $58K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level postal service mail carriers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Postal Service Mail Carriers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Postal Service Mail Carriers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $64K | +6% | 930 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | +5% | 1,220 |
| Arizona | $62K | +3% | 5,300 |
| California | $62K | +3% | 32,320 |
| New York | $62K | +3% | 20,580 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +3% | 7,630 |
| Virginia | $62K | +3% | 7,900 |
| Nevada | $62K | +3% | 2,530 |
| Illinois | $62K | +3% | 14,730 |
| Maryland | $62K | +3% | 6,420 |
| New Jersey | $61K | +1% | 10,160 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +1% | 4,510 |
| Florida | $61K | +1% | 20,810 |
| Ohio | $61K | +1% | 12,680 |
| South Dakota | $61K | +0% | 850 |
| Texas | $61K | +0% | 26,700 |
| Washington | $60K | -1% | 6,550 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -1% | 11,030 |
| Minnesota | $60K | -1% | 5,890 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -1% | 1,560 |
| Delaware | $60K | -1% | 1,130 |
| Alaska | $60K | -1% | 450 |
| Hawaii | $60K | -1% | 1,200 |
| Indiana | $60K | -1% | 6,910 |
| Iowa | $60K | -1% | 3,730 |
| Michigan | $60K | -1% | 11,610 |
| Missouri | $60K | -1% | 7,260 |
| Nebraska | $60K | -1% | 2,150 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -1% | 1,570 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -1% | 4,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | -1% | 13,900 |
| Utah | $60K | -1% | 2,460 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -1% | 6,470 |
| Wyoming | $60K | -1% | 430 |
| Colorado | $60K | -1% | 5,100 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -1% | 3,030 |
| Oregon | $59K | -2% | 3,760 |
| Montana | $59K | -3% | 830 |
| North Dakota | $59K | -3% | 800 |
| Maine | $59K | -3% | 1,510 |
| Vermont | $59K | -3% | 690 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -3% | 4,640 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -3% | 5,090 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -3% | 7,310 |
| Kansas | $59K | -3% | 3,310 |
| Idaho | $58K | -5% | 1,660 |
| West Virginia | $58K | -5% | 1,850 |
| Georgia | $58K | -5% | 10,790 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -5% | 5,650 |
| Alabama | $58K | -5% | 5,840 |
| Mississippi | $57K | -5% | 3,290 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track postal service mail carriers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Anchorage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a postal service mail carrier afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 32.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for postal service mail carriers in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new postal service mail carriers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,936/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is postal service mail carrier a high-paying job in Anchorage?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for postal service mail carriers?
Anchorage pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do postal service mail carriers make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $59,880 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,940, and experienced postal service mail carriers can clear $81,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,179/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 32.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a postal service mail carriers salary go in Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median postal service mail carriers salary is worth about $56,801 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do postal service mail carriers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.