Postal Service Mail Carriers Salary
The median pay for a postal service mail carriers in Minnesota is $59,990/year ($28.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $64,784 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,384/month, about 35.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Minnesota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $60K get you in Minnesota?
About postal service mail carriers
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Postal service mail carriers pay in Minnesota tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,384/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Minnesota
Entry-level postal service mail carriers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Postal Service Mail Carriers salary by metro in Minnesota
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $61K | +2% | 3,560 |
| Rochester | $61K | +2% | 230 |
| St. Cloud | $61K | +2% | 210 |
| Duluth | $60K | -1% | 350 |
| Mankato | $58K | -4% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track postal service mail carriers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Minnesota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a postal service mail carrier afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 34.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new postal service mail carriers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,543/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Minnesota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for postal service mail carriers?
Minnesota pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do postal service mail carriers make in Minnesota?
The median is $59,990 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,390, 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 Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,966/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 34.9% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median postal service mail carriers salary is worth about $64,784 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.