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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
105,400 0.4 % $ 24.73 $ 51,440 0.4 %

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

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.56 $ 18.16 $ 25.55 $ 30.28 $ 30.29
Annual Wage (2) $ 34,440 $ 37,770 $ 53,140 $ 62,980 $ 63,000


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) 104,530 16.54 $ 24.74 $ 51,460

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) 104,530 16.54 $ 24.74 $ 51,460

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) 104,530 16.54 $ 24.74 $ 51,460


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.





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 12,540 0.76 1.01 $ 24.81 $ 51,600
New York 9,010 1.04 1.37 $ 24.82 $ 51,630
Illinois 6,320 1.12 1.48 $ 23.93 $ 49,780
Texas 6,250 0.52 0.68 $ 25.62 $ 53,280
Florida 6,160 0.73 0.96 $ 24.81 $ 51,610




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 640 1.45 1.92 $ 24.31 $ 50,570
New Jersey 4,860 1.29 1.70 $ 25.20 $ 52,420
Illinois 6,320 1.12 1.48 $ 23.93 $ 49,780
New Hampshire 680 1.10 1.45 $ 24.25 $ 50,440
Pennsylvania 5,720 1.04 1.37 $ 25.03 $ 52,050




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 540 0.79 1.04 $ 26.13 $ 54,340
Idaho 210 0.29 0.38 $ 26.05 $ 54,180
Washington 1,820 0.57 0.75 $ 25.78 $ 53,620
Texas 6,250 0.52 0.68 $ 25.62 $ 53,280
Maryland 2,400 0.95 1.25 $ 25.32 $ 52,660





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 10,880 1.23 1.63 $ 25.07 $ 52,140
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,860 1.01 1.33 $ 24.19 $ 50,320
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 5,800 1.33 1.75 $ 23.83 $ 49,570
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,890 1.07 1.41 $ 25.84 $ 53,750
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,840 0.79 1.05 $ 26.42 $ 54,950
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,580 0.85 1.13 $ 25.93 $ 53,940
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 2,460 1.38 1.82 $ 24.70 $ 51,370
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,360 1.01 1.34 $ 26.24 $ 54,580
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,330 0.88 1.17 $ 24.82 $ 51,630
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,130 1.15 1.52 $ 23.85 $ 49,610




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 430 4.20 5.54 $ 22.76 $ 47,340
Springfield, MA-CT 1,110 3.65 4.82 $ 23.63 $ 49,140
Manchester, NH 310 2.81 3.71 $ 24.51 $ 50,970
Greensboro-High Point, NC 890 2.56 3.38 $ 25.10 $ 52,210
Trenton, NJ 590 2.54 3.35 $ 26.01 $ 54,100
Fayetteville, NC 310 2.49 3.29 $ 23.31 $ 48,480
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 760 2.43 3.21 $ 23.77 $ 49,450
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 850 2.39 3.16 $ 25.38 $ 52,790
Champaign-Urbana, IL 220 2.25 2.97 $ 24.25 $ 50,440
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 350 2.14 2.82 $ 23.38 $ 48,630




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)
Wausau, WI 40 0.55 0.73 $ 27.70 $ 57,620
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL 40 0.83 1.10 $ 26.77 $ 55,670
Canton-Massillon, OH 30 0.20 0.26 $ 26.69 $ 55,520
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,840 0.79 1.05 $ 26.42 $ 54,950
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 40 0.26 0.34 $ 26.29 $ 54,680
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA 130 0.55 0.72 $ 26.25 $ 54,590
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,430 0.73 0.96 $ 26.24 $ 54,590
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,360 1.01 1.34 $ 26.24 $ 54,580
Madison, WI 210 0.56 0.74 $ 26.22 $ 54,530
Baton Rouge, LA 230 0.62 0.82 $ 26.03 $ 54,140

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 100 0.94 1.25 $ 22.08 $ 45,930
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 80 0.84 1.11 $ 25.17 $ 52,350
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 80 1.35 1.78 $ 24.39 $ 50,730
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 60 0.38 0.50 $ 23.13 $ 48,110
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.45 0.60 $ 23.44 $ 48,760

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 80 1.35 1.78 $ 24.39 $ 50,730
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 100 0.94 1.25 $ 22.08 $ 45,930
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 80 0.84 1.11 $ 25.17 $ 52,350
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.45 0.60 $ 23.44 $ 48,760
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 60 0.38 0.50 $ 23.13 $ 48,110

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 0.84 1.11 $ 25.17 $ 52,350
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 30 0.32 0.42 $ 24.70 $ 51,370
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 80 1.35 1.78 $ 24.39 $ 50,730
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 50 0.45 0.60 $ 23.44 $ 48,760
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.08 0.11 $ 23.27 $ 48,410


About May 2020 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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021