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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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

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. Excludes “Postal Service Clerks” (43-5051) and “Postal Service Mail Carriers” (43-5052).


National estimates for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
Industry profile for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
Geographic profile for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

National estimates for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
116,540 0.0 % $ 27.09 $ 56,350 0.0 %

Percentile wage estimates for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 20.05 $ 20.58 $ 25.69 $ 34.01 $ 34.54
Annual Wage (2) $ 41,700 $ 42,810 $ 53,440 $ 70,740 $ 71,840


Industry profile for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service (Federal Government) 116,520 18.41 $ 27.10 $ 56,360

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service (Federal Government) 116,520 18.41 $ 27.10 $ 56,360

Top paying industries for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Postal Service (Federal Government) 116,520 18.41 $ 27.10 $ 56,360


Geographic profile for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 12,340 0.69 0.90 $ 27.71 $ 57,640
New York 9,460 1.01 1.31 $ 27.40 $ 56,990
Florida 7,490 0.78 1.02 $ 26.83 $ 55,800
Texas 7,460 0.55 0.72 $ 27.48 $ 57,150
Illinois 6,350 1.06 1.38 $ 26.99 $ 56,140


Map of location quotient of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rhode Island 700 1.44 1.87 $ 26.80 $ 55,730
New Hampshire 820 1.22 1.59 $ 26.46 $ 55,050
New Jersey 4,670 1.11 1.45 $ 28.00 $ 58,240
Missouri 3,060 1.06 1.38 $ 26.79 $ 55,720
Illinois 6,350 1.06 1.38 $ 26.99 $ 56,140


Map of annual mean wages of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 500 0.72 0.94 $ 28.84 $ 59,990
Vermont 150 0.50 0.65 $ 28.39 $ 59,060
Idaho 220 0.27 0.35 $ 28.33 $ 58,930
New Jersey 4,670 1.11 1.45 $ 28.00 $ 58,240
Connecticut 1,200 0.72 0.94 $ 27.97 $ 58,170



Map of employment of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 10,820 1.14 1.49 $ 27.84 $ 57,910
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,870 0.95 1.24 $ 27.16 $ 56,480
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 5,830 1.29 1.69 $ 26.90 $ 55,950
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,320 0.84 1.09 $ 28.13 $ 58,500
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 3,160 1.12 1.46 $ 26.99 $ 56,140
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,900 1.52 1.99 $ 26.97 $ 56,100
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,670 0.95 1.24 $ 26.68 $ 55,500
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,620 0.85 1.11 $ 28.18 $ 58,610
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,500 0.92 1.20 $ 26.59 $ 55,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 2,170 0.79 1.03 $ 27.40 $ 56,990


Map of location quotient of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Charleston, WV 420 4.06 5.30 $ 26.55 $ 55,220
Springfield, MA-CT 1,190 3.71 4.83 $ 26.34 $ 54,790
Fayetteville, NC 480 3.66 4.76 $ 25.56 $ 53,160
Greensboro-High Point, NC 1,240 3.49 4.55 $ 26.41 $ 54,920
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 1,000 3.04 3.96 $ 25.94 $ 53,960
Manchester, NH 330 3.00 3.90 $ 26.92 $ 55,980
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 510 2.99 3.89 $ 25.88 $ 53,830
Macon, GA 250 2.60 3.38 $ 26.02 $ 54,120
Trenton, NJ 590 2.47 3.22 $ 28.17 $ 58,580
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 940 2.46 3.21 $ 27.67 $ 57,560


Map of annual mean wages of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Erie, PA 30 0.29 0.37 $ 32.00 $ 66,550
New Haven, CT 100 0.35 0.46 $ 29.77 $ 61,930
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,900 0.78 1.02 $ 29.49 $ 61,330
Duluth, MN-WI 60 0.45 0.59 $ 29.33 $ 61,010
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 200 0.99 1.29 $ 29.22 $ 60,770
Peoria, IL 100 0.62 0.80 $ 28.80 $ 59,900
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 530 0.46 0.60 $ 28.47 $ 59,210
Madison, WI 230 0.59 0.76 $ 28.38 $ 59,020
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 120 0.41 0.53 $ 28.38 $ 59,020
Fresno, CA 210 0.51 0.66 $ 28.34 $ 58,940

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 130 1.05 1.37 $ 25.35 $ 52,720
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 1.03 $ 28.81 $ 59,920
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 70 1.27 1.65 $ 27.32 $ 56,820
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 50 0.35 0.46 $ 26.62 $ 55,360
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.42 0.55 $ 27.11 $ 56,390

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 70 1.27 1.65 $ 27.32 $ 56,820
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 130 1.05 1.37 $ 25.35 $ 52,720
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 1.03 $ 28.81 $ 59,920
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.42 0.55 $ 27.11 $ 56,390
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 50 0.35 0.46 $ 26.62 $ 55,360

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 1.03 $ 28.81 $ 59,920
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 40 0.29 0.38 $ 27.96 $ 58,170
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.30 0.39 $ 27.53 $ 57,250
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 70 1.27 1.65 $ 27.32 $ 56,820
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.42 0.55 $ 27.11 $ 56,390


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024