Postal Service Mail Carrier Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Postal Service Mail Carriers in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $61,480 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,692 take-home, or $4,141 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median postal service mail carrier salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,198
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,812
- Medicare (1.45%)$891
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,887
- Take-home pay$49,692
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $2,299 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $47,392 ($3,949 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Postal Service Mail Carrier pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,120 | $20.73 | $35,503 | $2,959 |
| 25th percentile | $51,130 | $24.58 | $41,693 | $3,474 |
| Median (50th) | $61,480 | $29.56 | $49,692 | $4,141 |
| 75th percentile | $81,040 | $38.96 | $63,354 | $5,279 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,040 | $38.96 | $63,354 | $5,279 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $61,480 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median postal service mail carrier's $49,692 take-home pay has the buying power of $48,454 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Postal Service Mail Carrier jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.07).
Best-paying cities for postal service mail carriers, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #12 of 25 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City, MO | $61,010 | $49,271 | $53,242 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $60,260 | $49,724 | $52,941 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $62,070 | $52,053 | $52,777 |
| 4 | St. Louis, MO | $62,070 | $50,073 | $52,660 |
| 5 | Tampa, FL | $62,070 | $52,053 | $51,594 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh, PA | $59,880 | $48,455 | $51,183 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $64,250 | $52,407 | $50,725 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $61,010 | $49,276 | $50,618 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $61,480 | $49,692 | $48,454 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 25 metros →
About the job: postal service mail carriers
Sort and deliver mail for the United States Postal Service (USPS). Deliver mail on established route by vehicle or on foot.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -0.3% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Postal Service Mail Carrier salaries elsewhere in Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, PA — $59,880
Frequently asked questions
How much does a postal service mail carrier make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median postal service mail carrier salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $61,480 a year, or about $29.56 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $51,130 and $81,040.
What is a postal service mail carrier’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $61,480 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $49,692 a year ($4,141 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,887 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a postal service mail carrier?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $60,550. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $48,454 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #12 of 25 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a postal service mail carrier afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median postal service mail carrier’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $79,490
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $72,700
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $61,710
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $60,960
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk — $58,810
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators — $57,430
- Insurance Claim and Policy Processing Clerk — $57,150
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $56,480
- Loan Interviewer and Clerk — $53,780
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $52,710
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance — $51,170
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $50,190