Postal Service Mail Carrier Salary in Durham, NC
Postal Service Mail Carriers in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area earn a median $62,960 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $50,765 take-home, or $4,230 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median postal service mail carrier salary in Durham, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,375
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,904
- Medicare (1.45%)$913
- North Carolina income tax$2,003
- Take-home pay$50,765
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state
Postal Service Mail Carrier pay by experience in Durham, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,390 | $20.38 | $35,058 | $2,921 |
| 25th percentile | $48,940 | $23.53 | $40,059 | $3,338 |
| Median (50th) | $62,960 | $30.27 | $50,765 | $4,230 |
| 75th percentile | $81,040 | $38.96 | $63,117 | $5,260 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,040 | $38.96 | $63,117 | $5,260 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $62,960 buys in Durham, NC
Prices in Durham, NC are 2.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median postal service mail carrier's $50,765 take-home pay has the buying power of $52,028 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 less concentrated in Durham, NC than nationally (location quotient 0.78), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for postal service mail carriers, adjusted for cost of living
Durham, NC ranks #48 of 127 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen, TX | $64,250 | $53,805 | $62,640 |
| 2 | Youngstown, OH | $62,590 | $51,532 | $58,965 |
| 3 | El Paso, TX | $62,590 | $52,471 | $58,358 |
| 4 | Toledo, OH | $64,250 | $52,820 | $57,756 |
| 5 | Des Moines, IA | $64,250 | $52,015 | $56,723 |
| 6 | New Orleans, LA | $64,250 | $52,264 | $56,442 |
| 7 | Canton, OH | $61,130 | $50,399 | $56,371 |
| 8 | Shreveport, LA | $58,360 | $47,708 | $56,282 |
| 48 | Durham, NC | $62,960 | $50,765 | $52,028 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 127 metros →
Postal Service Mail Carrier salaries elsewhere in North Carolina
- Winston, NC — $62,070
- Greensboro, NC — $62,080
- Raleigh, NC — $62,070
- Charlotte, NC — $61,010
- Wilmington, NC — $57,700
Frequently asked questions
How much does a postal service mail carrier make in Durham, NC?
The median postal service mail carrier salary in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area is $62,960 a year, or about $30.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,940 and $81,040.
What is a postal service mail carrier’s take-home pay in Durham, NC?
On the median $62,960 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $50,765 a year ($4,230 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,003 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Durham, NC a good place to work as a postal service mail carrier?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $60,550. Local prices are 2.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $52,028 would in a typical U.S. city. Durham, NC ranks #48 of 127 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a postal service mail carrier afford rent in Durham, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Durham, NC is $1,456 a month ($1,660 for two bedrooms) — 34% of a median postal service mail carrier’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Durham, NC
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $68,450
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $64,170
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $50,790
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $50,170
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $47,840
- Office Clerks, General — $47,010
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $46,860
- Customer Service Representative — $46,800
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks — $44,160
- Receptionist and Information Clerk — $35,990
- Information and Record Clerks, All Other — $33,870