Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators: Career Overview
Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution for the United States Postal Service (USPS). Examine, sort, and route mail. Load, operate, and occasionally adjust and repair mail processing, sorting, and canceling machinery. Keep records of shipments, pouches, and sacks, and perform other duties related to mail handling within the postal service. Includes postal service mail sorters and processors employed by USPS contractors.
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The Daily Work of Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Do?
The core tasks performed by postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators cover:
- Clear jams in sorting equipment.
- Operate various types of equipment, such as computer scanning equipment, addressographs, mimeographs, optical character readers, and bar-code sorters.
- Sort odd-sized mail by hand, sort mail that other workers have been unable to sort, and segregate items requiring special handling.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Assorter
- Automation Clerk
- Computer Forwarding System Markup Clerk (CFS Markup Clerk)
- Dead Mail Checker
- Distribution Clerk
- Distribution Handler
- Distributor
- Equipment Operator
How Many Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Are There?
There are about 1,377,857 postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +14.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $57,050 |
| Hourly median | $27.43 |
| 10th percentile | $40,225 |
| 25th percentile | $48,637 |
| 75th percentile | $65,462 |
| 90th percentile | $73,875 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $67,830 |
| New Jersey | $59,550 |
| Wyoming | $59,550 |
| Iowa | $59,550 |
| Kansas | $59,550 |
| South Dakota | $59,550 |
| North Dakota | $58,780 |
| Vermont | $58,650 |
| Nebraska | $58,510 |
| California | $57,490 |
| Washington | $57,490 |
| Michigan | $57,490 |
| Wisconsin | $57,490 |
| Delaware | $57,490 |
| New York | $57,490 |
| Connecticut | $57,490 |
| Maine | $57,490 |
| Rhode Island | $57,490 |
| Guam | $57,490 |
| Montana | $57,490 |
| Arkansas | $57,490 |
| West Virginia | $57,490 |
| Oklahoma | $57,490 |
| Texas | $57,490 |
| Minnesota | $57,490 |
| Kentucky | $57,140 |
| Massachusetts | $56,530 |
| Colorado | $56,530 |
| Idaho | $56,530 |
| Hawaii | $56,450 |
| Illinois | $56,450 |
| Maryland | $56,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,450 |
| New Hampshire | $56,450 |
| Virginia | $56,450 |
| Arizona | $56,450 |
| Missouri | $56,450 |
| Florida | $56,160 |
| South Carolina | $56,160 |
| Ohio | $55,850 |
| Nevada | $55,410 |
| Oregon | $55,410 |
| Indiana | $55,410 |
| Utah | $55,410 |
| Alabama | $55,410 |
| Louisiana | $55,410 |
| Mississippi | $55,410 |
| New Mexico | $55,410 |
| North Carolina | $54,700 |
| Puerto Rico | $54,370 |
| Georgia | $54,370 |
| Tennessee | $54,370 |
| Alaska | $53,350 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $57,745 | 6.9% | 1.06 |
| Middle Atlantic | $57,665 | 20.3% | 1.34 |
| Southwest | $57,218 | 9.4% | 0.75 |
| Far Western US | $57,115 | 14.3% | 0.85 |
| New England | $56,907 | 5.7% | 1.24 |
| Great Lakes | $56,506 | 15.6% | 1.14 |
| Rocky Mountains | $56,428 | 3.2% | 0.85 |
| Southeast | $55,559 | 23.8% | 1.00 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | PA | $72,970 | 40 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $72,970 | 120 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | MN | $67,200 | 50 |
| Wichita, KS | KS | $67,180 | 240 |
| Salem, OR | OR | $66,810 | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $66,580 | 1,720 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $63,690 | 180 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | TX | $61,630 | 120 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 111,920 | $56,530 |
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Teradata Database (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Time Pressure
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
Education and Training
Most postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Postmasters and Mail Superintendents (Supplemental)
- File Clerks (Primary-Long)
- Cargo and Freight Agents (Supplemental)
- Couriers and Messengers (Supplemental)
- Postal Service Clerks (Primary-Short)
- Postal Service Mail Carriers (Supplemental)
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks (Supplemental)
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (Primary-Short)
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-5053.00 (Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators).
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