Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Career, Salary and Skills

Occupation description

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.

National salary and employment

Top skills

Typical tasks

• Clear jams in sorting equipment.
• Operate various types of equipment, such as computer scanning equipment, addressographs, mimeographs, optical character readers, and bar-code sorters.
• Sort odd-sized mail by hand, sort mail that other workers have been unable to sort, and segregate items requiring special handling.
• Direct items according to established routing schemes, using computer-controlled keyboards or voice-recognition equipment.
• Check items to ensure that addresses are legible and correct, that sufficient postage has been paid or the appropriate documentation is attached, and that items are in a suitable condition for processing.
• Bundle, label, and route sorted mail to designated areas, depending on destinations and according to established procedures and deadlines.
• Move containers of mail, using equipment, such as forklifts and automated "trains".
• Open and label mail containers.

Technology

• Address Management System AMS
• Automated Package Processing System APPS
• Barcode reader software
• Delivery operations information system DOIS
• Delivery Routing System DRS
• Directory software
• Electronic Time Clock ETC
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Word
• Multi-line optical character reader OCR software
• NCR Advanced Store

Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators salary by location

Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.

• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in CA
  Median $59,490 · Employment 10,090
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in New York, NY
  Median $59,490 · Employment 9,010
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in NY
  Median $58,470 · Employment 8,290
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in TX
  Median $56,390 · Employment 7,900
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in FL
  Median $57,430 · Employment 7,240
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in PA
  Median $57,430 · Employment 5,630
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in IL
  Median $58,300 · Employment 5,370
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in Chicago, IL
  Median $58,300 · Employment 4,920
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in Los Angeles, CA
  Median $59,490 · Employment 4,700
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in NC
  Median $55,350 · Employment 4,040
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in Dallas, TX
  Median $56,390 · Employment 3,850
• Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in OH
  Median $58,470 · Employment 3,700

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