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.
- O*NET-SOC code
43-5053.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $45,530 | $48,880 | $58,470 | $75,030 | $75,280 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,150 | $57,430 | 0.80 |
| Alaska | 230 | $55,350 | 1.04 |
| Arizona | 2,180 | $55,350 | 0.99 |
| Arkansas | 570 | $58,470 | 0.65 |
| California | 10,090 | $59,490 | 0.82 |
| Colorado | 1,910 | $58,470 | 0.98 |
| Connecticut | 1,020 | $58,470 | 0.89 |
| Delaware | 410 | $58,470 | 1.24 |
| District of Columbia | 400 | $66,750 | 0.83 |
| Florida | 7,240 | $57,430 | 1.08 |
| Georgia | 3,050 | $53,290 | 0.92 |
| Hawaii | 370 | $59,490 | 0.87 |
| Idaho | 250 | $57,430 | 0.43 |
| Illinois | 5,370 | $58,300 | 1.30 |
| Indiana | 2,600 | $48,880 | 1.20 |
| Iowa | 1,040 | $60,530 | 0.99 |
| Kansas | 870 | $54,540 | 0.89 |
| Kentucky | 950 | $57,430 | 0.70 |
| Louisiana | 1,200 | $58,470 | 0.91 |
| Maine | 440 | $59,490 | 1.02 |
| Maryland | 2,430 | $58,470 | 1.30 |
| Massachusetts | 2,910 | $58,470 | 1.18 |
| Michigan | 3,370 | $59,490 | 1.13 |
| Minnesota | 1,840 | $59,740 | 0.92 |
| Mississippi | 350 | $57,800 | 0.44 |
| Missouri | 2,730 | $57,430 | 1.38 |
| Montana | 270 | $57,430 | 0.78 |
| Nebraska | 640 | $59,490 | 0.92 |
| Nevada | 920 | $58,470 | 0.88 |
| New Hampshire | 690 | $58,300 | 1.48 |
| New Jersey | 3,660 | $60,530 | 1.26 |
| New Mexico | 350 | $58,470 | 0.60 |
| New York | 8,290 | $58,470 | 1.27 |
| North Carolina | 4,040 | $55,350 | 1.21 |
| North Dakota | 240 | $59,840 | 0.82 |
| Ohio | 3,700 | $58,470 | 0.99 |
| Oklahoma | 790 | $58,470 | 0.68 |
| Oregon | 1,090 | $57,890 | 0.82 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,630 | $57,430 | 1.37 |
| Rhode Island | 600 | $59,490 | 1.77 |
| South Carolina | 1,280 | $58,390 | 0.82 |
| South Dakota | 210 | $61,570 | 0.67 |
| Tennessee | 2,850 | $56,390 | 1.28 |
| Texas | 7,900 | $56,390 | 0.83 |
| Utah | 860 | $57,430 | 0.73 |
| Vermont | 110 | $59,490 | 0.55 |
| Virginia | 2,420 | $58,300 | 0.87 |
| Washington | 1,770 | $59,490 | 0.74 |
| West Virginia | 410 | $58,470 | 0.86 |
| Wisconsin | 1,420 | $58,470 | 0.72 |
| Wyoming | 120 | $60,530 | 0.61 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | 1-2 | 0.956 |
| 2 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | 1-2 | 0.950 |
| 3 | Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service | 1-2 | 0.943 |
| 4 | Couriers and Messengers | 1-2 | 0.941 |
| 5 | Pourers and Casters, Metal | 1-2 | 0.938 |
| 6 | Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3 | 0.937 |
| 7 | Cooks, Restaurant | 1-2 | 0.937 |
| 8 | Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers | 1-2 | 0.937 |
| 9 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 1-2 | 0.934 |
| 10 | Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.931 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Couriers and Messengers | Writing | 0.87 | 0.941 |
| Pourers and Casters, Metal | Judgment and Decision Making | 0.88 | 0.938 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | Operations Monitoring | 0.76 | 0.922 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | Quality Control Analysis | 0.87 | 0.913 |
| Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | Quality Control Analysis | 0.87 | 0.910 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators, excluding software Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | 3 of 20 | 1.1x |
| Email software | 6 of 20 | 1.0x |
| Microsoft Windows | 5 of 20 | 1.0x |
| Web browser software | 5 of 20 | 0.5x |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 3 of 20 | 0.2x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.12 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 1.88 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.38 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 1.88 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.25 | 1.88 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.62 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.62 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 1.38 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 3.04 | 2.30 |
| Production and Processing | 2.46 | 1.48 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.40 | 1.40 |
| Administrative | 2.25 | 2.01 |
| Administration and Management | 2.17 | 1.75 |
| Transportation | 2.07 | 1.73 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.07 | 1.33 |
| Computers and Electronics | 1.93 | 1.71 |
| Education and Training | 1.78 | 1.30 |
| Mathematics | 1.74 | 1.08 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.71 | 0.61 |
| Communications and Media | 1.68 | 1.04 |
| Telecommunications | 1.65 | 0.67 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.59 | 0.80 |
| Law and Government | 1.56 | 0.81 |
| Psychology | 1.45 | not rated |
| Geography | 1.45 | 1.01 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.43 | not rated |
| Mechanical | 1.36 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.31 | 0.49 |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.27 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.23 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.18 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.17 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.13 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.12 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.11 | not rated |
| Chemistry | 1.11 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.10 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.09 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.09 | not rated |
| Design | 1.08 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Static Strength | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.12 | 2.62 |
| Information Ordering | 3.12 | 2.62 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.12 | 2.62 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Oral Expression | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Control Precision | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Selective Attention | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Far Vision | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Reaction Time | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Written Expression | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Stamina | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Rate Control | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.25 | 1.88 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Memorization | 2.12 | 1.62 |
| Depth Perception | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Time Sharing | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Visualization | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Response Orientation | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Number Facility | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Originality | 1.88 | 1.62 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.50 | 0.75 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.25 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.12 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.12 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft SharePoint hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- Teradata Database hot
- Address Management System AMS
- Automated Package Processing System APPS
- Barcode reader software
- Delivery Routing System DRS
- Delivery operations information system DOIS
- Directory software
- Electronic Time Clock ETC
- Multi-line optical character reader OCR software
- NCR Advanced Store
- Time and Attendance Collection System TACS
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, MA | 1,050 | 7.72 | $54,540 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 480 | 5.39 | $56,390 |
| Charleston, WV | 360 | 5.09 | $59,490 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 670 | 4.95 | $58,390 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 1,110 | 4.49 | $58,470 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 430 | 3.94 | $58,390 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 890 | 3.91 | $56,430 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 840 | 3.05 | $60,530 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 1,260 | 3.05 | $54,330 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 470 | 2.87 | $59,740 |