Postal Service Mail Carrier salary in California
Postal Service Mail Carriers in California earn a median of $62,090 a year ($29.85 an hour), based on BLS data for 32,320 workers.
Pay ranges from $43,120 for the lowest-paid 10% to $81,040 for the top 10%. That is 3% higher than the national median of $60,550. California ranks 4th of 51 states for postal service mail carriers pay, one of the best-paying states for this job. There are 1.8 postal service mail carriers per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $64,560, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for postal service mail carriers in California
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,120 | $20.73 |
| 25th percentile | $51,130 | $24.58 |
| Median | $62,090 | $29.85 |
| 75th percentile | $81,040 | $38.96 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,040 | $38.96 |
| Average (mean) | $64,560 | $31.04 |
Half of postal service mail carriers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,174.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,587.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,388.08 |
| Weekly | $1,194.04 |
| Hourly | $29.85 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Postal Service Mail Carrier salary in cities in California
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $67,140 | 130 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $66,440 | 670 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $64,250 | 10,940 |
| Merced, CA | $64,250 | 200 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $64,250 | 2,000 |
| Salinas, CA | $64,250 | 280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $64,250 | 4,730 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $63,610 | 600 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $63,380 | 2,820 |
| Modesto, CA | $62,090 | 400 |
| Yuba City, CA | $62,080 | 130 |
| Fresno, CA | $62,070 | 830 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $62,070 | 3,130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $62,070 | 1,520 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $62,070 | 230 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $61,130 | 340 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $59,880 | 510 |
| Vallejo, CA | $59,010 | 410 |
| Chico, CA | $57,910 | 180 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $57,820 | 260 |
| Redding, CA | $57,700 | 130 |
| Visalia, CA | $57,030 | 330 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $56,750 | 90 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $56,660 | 630 |
| El Centro, CA | $55,930 | 130 |
Highest-paying states for postal service mail carriers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $64,250 |
| Rhode Island | $63,610 |
| Arizona | $62,390 |
| California | $62,090 |
| Illinois | $62,070 |
| Maryland | $62,070 |
| Massachusetts | $62,070 |
| Nevada | $62,070 |
| New York | $62,070 |
| Virginia | $62,070 |
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $46,520 | $22.36 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $63,000 | $30.29 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $52,350 | $25.17 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $57,690 | $27.73 |
| Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | $59,490 | $28.60 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $80,120 | $38.52 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $45,730 | $21.99 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $44,970 | $21.62 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $63,650 | $30.60 |
| Meter Readers, Utilities | $79,040 | $38.00 |
| Office Clerks, General | $48,460 | $23.30 |
| Customer Service Representative | $49,560 | $23.83 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $55,400 | $26.64 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $59,230 | $28.48 |
More: Office and Administrative Support Occupations · all salaries in California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-5052. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a postal service mail carrier make in California?
The median salary for postal service mail carriers in California is $62,090 a year, or $29.85 an hour. Pay ranges from $43,120 for the lowest-paid 10% to $81,040 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid postal service mail carriers make in California?
The top 10% of postal service mail carriers in California earn at least $81,040 a year. The top 25% earn $81,040 or more.
What is the starting pay for postal service mail carriers in California?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $43,120 a year, and a quarter of postal service mail carriers earn $51,130 or less.
How many postal service mail carriers work in California?
About 32,320 postal service mail carriers are employed in California, not counting the self-employed.