Postal Service Mail Carriers Salary
The median pay for a postal service mail carriers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $62,960/year ($30.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $56,654 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 57.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $63K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Postal service mail carriers pay in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,501/month, which is 57% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for postal service mail carriers in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $59K | $59K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $57K | $57K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $58K | $56K |
| Bellingham | $57K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level postal service mail carriers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a postal service mail carrier afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 57% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
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 $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for postal service mail carriers?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do postal service mail carriers make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $62,960 a year, that works out to about $30 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 $63K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,386/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 57% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (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 $56,654 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.