Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators salary in the U.S.
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators in the U.S. earn a median of $58,470 a year ($28.11 an hour), based on BLS data for 105,200 workers.
Pay ranges from $45,530 for the lowest-paid 10% to $75,280 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $59,430, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,530 | $21.89 |
| 25th percentile | $48,880 | $23.50 |
| Median | $58,470 | $28.11 |
| 75th percentile | $75,030 | $36.07 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $75,280 | $36.19 |
| Average (mean) | $59,430 | $28.57 |
Half of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators 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 | $4,872.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,436.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,248.85 |
| Weekly | $1,124.42 |
| Hourly | $28.11 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $66,750 | 400 |
| South Dakota | $61,570 | 210 |
| Iowa | $60,530 | 1,040 |
| New Jersey | $60,530 | 3,660 |
| Wyoming | $60,530 | 120 |
| Guam | $60,530 | 30 |
| North Dakota | $59,840 | 240 |
| Minnesota | $59,740 | 1,840 |
| California | $59,490 | 10,090 |
| Hawaii | $59,490 | 370 |
| Maine | $59,490 | 440 |
| Michigan | $59,490 | 3,370 |
| Nebraska | $59,490 | 640 |
| Rhode Island | $59,490 | 600 |
| Vermont | $59,490 | 110 |
| Washington | $59,490 | 1,770 |
| Arkansas | $58,470 | 570 |
| Colorado | $58,470 | 1,910 |
| Connecticut | $58,470 | 1,020 |
| Delaware | $58,470 | 410 |
| Louisiana | $58,470 | 1,200 |
| Maryland | $58,470 | 2,430 |
| Massachusetts | $58,470 | 2,910 |
| Nevada | $58,470 | 920 |
| New Mexico | $58,470 | 350 |
| New York | $58,470 | 8,290 |
| Ohio | $58,470 | 3,700 |
| Oklahoma | $58,470 | 790 |
| West Virginia | $58,470 | 410 |
| Wisconsin | $58,470 | 1,420 |
| South Carolina | $58,390 | 1,280 |
| Illinois | $58,300 | 5,370 |
| New Hampshire | $58,300 | 690 |
| Virginia | $58,300 | 2,420 |
| Oregon | $57,890 | 1,090 |
| Mississippi | $57,800 | 350 |
| Alabama | $57,430 | 1,150 |
| Florida | $57,430 | 7,240 |
| Idaho | $57,430 | 250 |
| Kentucky | $57,430 | 950 |
| Missouri | $57,430 | 2,730 |
| Montana | $57,430 | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,430 | 5,630 |
| Utah | $57,430 | 860 |
| Tennessee | $56,390 | 2,850 |
| Texas | $56,390 | 7,900 |
| Puerto Rico | $56,390 | 780 |
| Alaska | $55,350 | 230 |
| Arizona | $55,350 | 2,180 |
| North Carolina | $55,350 | 4,040 |
| Kansas | $54,540 | 870 |
| Georgia | $53,290 | 3,050 |
| Indiana | $48,880 | 2,600 |
Best-paying metro areas for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | $70,990 | 40 |
| Erie, PA | $69,680 | 30 |
| Wichita, KS | $66,750 | 210 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $63,650 | 1,510 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $62,610 | 80 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $61,710 | 170 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $61,570 | 100 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $61,570 | 60 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $60,740 | 110 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $60,530 | 50 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $60,530 | 840 |
| Evansville, IN | $60,530 | 130 |
| Fresno, CA | $60,530 | 170 |
| Madison, WI | $60,530 | 190 |
| Mankato, MN | $60,530 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 9,010 | $59,490 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 4,920 | $58,300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,700 | $59,490 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,850 | $56,390 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,870 | $57,430 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,750 | $50,770 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,400 | $57,430 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 2,320 | $59,490 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,260 | $59,490 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 2,080 | $47,170 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,940 | $54,330 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,900 | $55,350 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,690 | $58,470 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,650 | $59,490 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 1,640 | $55,350 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $45,260 | $21.76 |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | $28.68 |
| Postal Service Mail Carrier | $60,550 | $29.11 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 | $25.50 |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $52,260 | $25.13 |
| Postal Service Clerk | $62,130 | $29.87 |
| Couriers and Messengers | $39,200 | $18.85 |
| Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | $46,380 | $22.30 |
| Meter Readers, Utilities | $48,150 | $23.15 |
| Customer Service Representative | $44,770 | $21.53 |
| Office Clerks, General | $45,010 | $21.64 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 | $22.86 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $69,500 | $33.41 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 43-5053. 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 sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make in the U.S.?
The median salary for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in the U.S. is $58,470 a year, or $28.11 an hour. Pay ranges from $45,530 for the lowest-paid 10% to $75,280 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in the U.S. earn at least $75,280 a year. The top 25% earn $75,030 or more.
What is the starting pay for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $45,530 a year, and a quarter of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators earn $48,880 or less.
How many postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators work in the U.S.?
About 105,200 postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.