# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/postal-service-mail-sorters-processors-and-processing-machine-operators
- SOC code: 43-5053.00
- Career family: Office and administrative support
- Median annual pay: $58,470 (10th percentile $45,530, 90th percentile $75,280)
- Projected growth: Decline, -5.3%
- Openings a year: 7,300
- Typical entry education: No formal credential
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CRS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 60 |
| Investigative (I) | 9 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 14 |
| Enterprising (E) | 11 |
| Conventional (C) | 82 |

## What you'd do

- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 70/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 70/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 69/100)
- Getting Information (importance 63/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 58/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 55/100)
- Processing Information (importance 52/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 52/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 50/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 50/100)

## Skills

Monitoring, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Listening, Judgment and Decision Making, Operations Monitoring, Time Management, Operation and Control

## Knowledge

English Language, Production and Processing, Customer and Personal Service, Administrative, Administration and Management, Public Safety and Security, Transportation, Computers and Electronics, Education and Training, Mathematics

## Also called

Assorter, Automation Clerk, Computer Forwarding System Markup Clerk (CFS Markup Clerk), Dead Mail Checker, Distribution Clerk, Distribution Handler, Distributor, Equipment Operator, File Conversion Operator, Flat Sorter Operator

## Related careers

- [Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mail-clerks-and-mail-machine-operators-except-postal-service): $39,280 median pay
- [Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/shipping-receiving-and-inventory-clerks): $45,260 median pay
- [Postal Service Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/postal-service-clerks): $62,130 median pay
- [Stockers and Order Fillers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/stockers-and-order-fillers): $37,330 median pay
- [Office Machine Operators, Except Computer](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/office-machine-operators-except-computer): $40,960 median pay
- [Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/weighers-measurers-checkers-and-samplers-recordkeeping): $46,380 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.