Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

43-5053 Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. 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 other duties related to mail handling within the postal service. Excludes "Postal Service Clerks" (43-5051) and "Postal Service Mail Carriers" (43-5052).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
145,690 0.0 % $23.24 $48,340 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $12.76 $24.15 $25.52 $25.53 $25.53
Annual Wage (2) $26,540 $50,220 $53,080 $53,100 $53,100

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service 145,630 21.62 $23.24 $48,350

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service 145,630 21.62 $23.24 $48,350

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service 145,630 21.62 $23.24 $48,350

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 15,840 1.13 0.99 $24.13 $50,190
New York 11,450 1.37 1.20 $23.83 $49,570
Texas 9,410 0.93 0.81 $23.37 $48,600
Illinois 7,960 1.44 1.26 $23.73 $49,350
Pennsylvania 7,780 1.42 1.24 $22.63 $47,070




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Jersey 6,580 1.75 1.52 $24.15 $50,240
Alaska 480 1.57 1.37 $19.09 $39,700
Montana 660 1.56 1.36 $18.56 $38,600
Missouri 3,790 1.47 1.28 $22.82 $47,470
Vermont 420 1.45 1.27 $20.03 $41,660




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 830 1.30 1.13 $24.77 $51,530
Connecticut 1,780 1.12 0.97 $24.56 $51,090
Florida 7,530 1.06 0.92 $24.37 $50,690
Massachusetts 3,880 1.24 1.09 $24.36 $50,680
Rhode Island 630 1.41 1.23 $24.23 $50,400

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 9,910 1.99 1.74 $24.49 $50,940
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 6,120 1.73 1.51 $24.54 $51,040
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 5,330 1.40 1.22 $24.32 $50,580
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 3,210 1.40 1.22 $24.49 $50,930
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 3,000 1.66 1.45 $23.44 $48,750
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 2,900 1.45 1.26 $24.44 $50,830
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 2,560 1.16 1.02 $24.90 $51,800
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,270 1.35 1.18 $24.74 $51,470
Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division 2,100 1.75 1.52 $24.03 $49,980
Denver-Aurora, CO 1,920 1.63 1.42 $24.32 $50,580




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Springfield, MA-CT 1,210 4.28 3.73 $24.44 $50,840
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division 300 3.52 3.07 $24.17 $50,270
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 1,060 3.33 2.90 $23.30 $48,460
Manchester, NH 290 3.01 2.63 $24.91 $51,810
Greensboro-High Point, NC 1,000 2.98 2.60 $23.83 $49,570
Rocky Mount, NC 150 2.66 2.32 $22.74 $47,300
Trenton-Ewing, NJ 570 2.64 2.31 $24.61 $51,180
Fayetteville, NC 330 2.60 2.27 $23.72 $49,330
Bangor, ME 160 2.53 2.21 $23.33 $48,530
Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 190 2.37 2.07 $24.93 $51,860