Postal Service Mail Carrier Salary in Riverside, CA
Postal Service Mail Carriers in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn a median $62,070 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,473 take-home, or $4,123 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median postal service mail carrier salary in Riverside, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,268
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,848
- Medicare (1.45%)$900
- California income tax$1,774
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$807
- Take-home pay$49,473
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Postal Service Mail Carrier pay by experience in Riverside, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,390 | $20.38 | $35,004 | $2,917 |
| 25th percentile | $51,130 | $24.58 | $41,481 | $3,457 |
| Median (50th) | $62,070 | $29.84 | $49,473 | $4,123 |
| 75th percentile | $81,040 | $38.96 | $61,481 | $5,123 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,040 | $38.96 | $61,481 | $5,123 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $62,070 buys in Riverside, CA
Prices in Riverside, CA are 6.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.29× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median postal service mail carrier's $49,473 take-home pay has the buying power of $46,479 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 Riverside, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.86).
Best-paying cities for postal service mail carriers, adjusted for cost of living
Riverside, CA ranks #18 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 |
| 18 | Riverside, CA | $62,070 | $49,473 | $46,479 |
*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 California
- San Diego, CA — $63,380
- Los Angeles, CA — $64,250
- San Francisco, CA — $64,250
Frequently asked questions
How much does a postal service mail carrier make in Riverside, CA?
The median postal service mail carrier salary in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area is $62,070 a year, or about $29.84 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 Riverside, CA?
On the median $62,070 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $49,473 a year ($4,123 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,581 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Riverside, CA a good place to work as a postal service mail carrier?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $60,550. Local prices are 6.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $46,479 would in a typical U.S. city. Riverside, CA ranks #18 of 25 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a postal service mail carrier afford rent in Riverside, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Riverside, CA is $1,777 a month ($2,201 for two bedrooms) — 43% of a median postal service mail carrier’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Riverside, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $73,640
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $73,290
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $57,470
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $56,640
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $55,610
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $52,920
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance — $52,000
- Billing and Posting Clerk — $51,910
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $49,820
- Customer Service Representative — $47,150
- Office Clerks, General — $46,270
- Teller — $45,880