163 metro areas
Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor, and Processing Machine Operator Salary by City (2026)
Postal service mail sorters earn the most in Erie, PA, an average of $66,250 a year, against $59,430 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Duluth, MN-WI ($74,070 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $59,430BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $66,250Erie, PA
- Best after cost of living
- $74,070Duluth, MN-WI
- Metro areas
- 163With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for postal service mail sorters
Top 10 metro areas
- Erie, PA$66,250
- Wichita, KS$65,790
- Duluth, MN-WI$65,750
- San Francisco, CA$64,190
- Burlington, VT$63,210
- Rocky Mount, NC$63,170
- Lansing, MI$63,130
- San Jose, CA$63,020
- Santa Maria, CA$63,000
- Madison, WI$62,590
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Erie, PA | $66,250 |
| Wichita, KS | $65,790 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $65,750 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $64,190 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $63,210 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $63,170 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $63,130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $63,020 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $63,000 |
| Madison, WI | $62,590 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Duluth, MN-WI$65,750 nominal$74,070
- Wichita, KS$65,790 nominal$73,970
- Erie, PA$66,250 nominal$72,840
- McAllen, TX$62,420 nominal$72,670
- Rocky Mount, NC$63,170 nominal$71,770
- Waterloo, IA$62,340 nominal$71,610
- Johnstown, PA$60,820 nominal$70,780
- St. Cloud, MN$61,400 nominal$70,070
- Shreveport, LA$59,360 nominal$70,030
- Youngstown, OH$60,200 nominal$68,880
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | $74,070 |
| Wichita, KS | $73,970 |
| Erie, PA | $72,840 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $72,670 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $71,770 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $71,610 |
| Johnstown, PA | $70,780 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $70,070 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $70,030 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $68,880 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor, and Processing Machine Operator salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie, PA | $66,250 | $54,310 | $72,130 | $72,840 |
| 2 | Wichita, KS | $65,790 | $53,870 | $71,680 | $73,970 |
| 3 | Duluth, MN-WI | $65,750 | $50,670 | $73,170 | $74,070 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $64,190 | $50,860 | $70,760 | $55,520 |
| 5 | Burlington, VT | $63,210 | $51,880 | $68,790 | $62,620 |
| 6 | Rocky Mount, NC | $63,170 | $51,500 | $68,930 | $71,770 |
| 7 | Lansing, MI | $63,130 | $50,210 | $69,490 | $66,460 |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | $63,020 | $50,460 | $69,200 | $57,070 |
| 9 | Santa Maria, CA | $63,000 | $50,460 | $69,180 | $57,910 |
| 10 | Madison, WI | $62,590 | $51,920 | $67,850 | $64,340 |
| 11 | McAllen, TX | $62,420 | $50,230 | $68,430 | $72,670 |
| 12 | Wenatchee, WA | $62,420 | $53,100 | $67,000 | $60,100 |
| 13 | Evansville, IN | $62,380 | $53,680 | $66,640 | $68,150 |
| 14 | Medford, OR | $62,380 | $50,880 | $68,040 | $61,500 |
| 15 | Waterloo, IA | $62,340 | $51,960 | $67,430 | $71,610 |
| 16 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $62,250 | $50,340 | $68,120 | $68,690 |
| 17 | Trenton, NJ | $62,150 | $48,110 | $69,080 | $60,230 |
| 18 | Amarillo, TX | $62,110 | $51,420 | $67,370 | $67,640 |
| 19 | Sacramento, CA | $62,090 | $50,360 | $67,870 | $58,210 |
| 20 | Mankato, MN | $62,070 | $50,610 | $67,700 | $68,240 |
| 21 | Santa Rosa, CA | $62,050 | $49,320 | $68,330 | $57,570 |
| 22 | Scranton, PA | $61,980 | $48,940 | $68,410 | $66,250 |
| 23 | Champaign, IL | $61,820 | $50,520 | $67,370 | $66,690 |
| 24 | Lincoln, NE | $61,820 | $51,810 | $66,770 | $67,500 |
| 25 | Peoria, IL | $61,820 | $48,980 | $68,140 | $67,760 |
| 26 | Beaumont, TX | $61,800 | $46,300 | $69,430 | $68,630 |
| 27 | Eau Claire, WI | $61,760 | $54,270 | $65,440 | $66,550 |
| 28 | Corpus Christi, TX | $61,690 | $50,650 | $67,140 | $66,570 |
| 29 | Portland, ME | $61,690 | $50,190 | $67,350 | $60,560 |
| 30 | Worcester, MA | $61,650 | $50,020 | $67,390 | $60,130 |
| 31 | Baton Rouge, LA | $61,630 | $48,570 | $68,080 | $67,890 |
| 32 | Redding, CA | $61,630 | $47,820 | $68,430 | $61,210 |
| 33 | San Diego, CA | $61,630 | $48,260 | $68,200 | $55,080 |
| 34 | Fresno, CA | $61,610 | $49,300 | $67,660 | $60,310 |
| 35 | New York, NY-NJ | $61,570 | $48,030 | $68,220 | $54,700 |
| 36 | Seattle, WA | $61,550 | $48,380 | $68,020 | $55,380 |
| 37 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $61,510 | $47,150 | $68,580 | $56,490 |
| 38 | Boston, MA-NH | $61,460 | $49,610 | $67,290 | $56,770 |
| 39 | Cape Coral, FL | $61,440 | $48,030 | $68,060 | $60,030 |
| 40 | St. Cloud, MN | $61,400 | $52,210 | $65,920 | $70,070 |
| 41 | El Paso, TX | $61,360 | $50,540 | $66,710 | $68,240 |
| 42 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $61,210 | $49,610 | $66,930 | $58,390 |
| 43 | Cheyenne, WY | $61,070 | $45,590 | $68,680 | $63,290 |
| 44 | Kalamazoo, MI | $61,010 | $48,070 | $67,370 | $64,330 |
| 45 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $61,010 | $50,860 | $66,000 | $62,290 |
| 46 | Des Moines, IA | $60,990 | $46,300 | $68,220 | $66,510 |
| 47 | Missoula, MT | $60,960 | $51,710 | $65,520 | $63,210 |
| 48 | South Bend, IN-MI | $60,960 | $50,090 | $66,330 | $65,650 |
| 49 | Detroit, MI | $60,940 | $49,190 | $66,730 | $60,760 |
| 50 | Denver, CO | $60,920 | $47,860 | $67,350 | $57,590 |
| 51 | Midland, TX | $60,920 | $51,520 | $65,580 | $63,600 |
| 52 | Great Falls, MT | $60,900 | $49,090 | $66,710 | $62,880 |
| 53 | Roanoke, VA | $60,880 | $49,860 | $66,310 | $65,030 |
| 54 | Johnstown, PA | $60,820 | $51,230 | $65,540 | $70,780 |
| 55 | Eugene, OR | $60,800 | $51,250 | $65,520 | $59,860 |
| 56 | Austin, TX | $60,740 | $49,800 | $66,120 | $61,940 |
| 57 | Los Angeles, CA | $60,720 | $48,090 | $66,930 | $53,470 |
| 58 | San Antonio, TX | $60,670 | $49,250 | $66,290 | $64,050 |
| 59 | Springfield, MO | $60,670 | $50,940 | $65,440 | $68,490 |
| 60 | Casper, WY | $60,610 | $49,320 | $66,160 | $64,600 |
| 61 | Springfield, IL | $60,550 | $48,940 | $66,270 | $65,290 |
| 62 | Greenville, SC | $60,510 | $48,260 | $66,560 | $64,880 |
| 63 | Omaha, NE-IA | $60,490 | $47,340 | $66,980 | $65,810 |
| 64 | Charleston, WV | $60,470 | $49,880 | $65,690 | $68,160 |
| 65 | Providence, RI-MA | $60,440 | $47,720 | $66,710 | $59,390 |
| 66 | North Port, FL | $60,420 | $48,440 | $66,330 | $58,990 |
| 67 | Columbia, MO | $60,400 | $49,250 | $65,890 | $67,530 |
| 68 | Tallahassee, FL | $60,340 | $48,480 | $66,190 | $64,250 |
| 69 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,340 | $47,150 | $66,830 | $54,380 |
| 70 | Bismarck, ND | $60,320 | $46,720 | $67,020 | $66,270 |
| 71 | Reno, NV | $60,300 | $48,800 | $65,960 | $59,690 |
| 72 | Yakima, WA | $60,300 | $49,570 | $65,600 | $63,110 |
| 73 | Grand Rapids, MI | $60,260 | $48,530 | $66,040 | $63,070 |
| 74 | Raleigh, NC | $60,260 | $47,920 | $66,330 | $61,390 |
| 75 | Provo, UT | $60,220 | $48,360 | $66,060 | $61,300 |
| 76 | Youngstown, OH | $60,200 | $51,710 | $64,380 | $68,880 |
| 77 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $60,170 | $48,920 | $65,710 | $60,190 |
| 78 | Fargo, ND-MN | $60,150 | $45,390 | $67,430 | $66,190 |
| 79 | Lexington, KY | $60,130 | $45,860 | $67,180 | $64,730 |
| 80 | Toledo, OH | $60,130 | $46,050 | $67,060 | $65,750 |
| 81 | Davenport, IA-IL | $60,110 | $50,090 | $65,040 | $67,480 |
| 82 | Fayetteville, AR | $60,110 | $47,510 | $66,310 | $65,800 |
| 83 | Bangor, ME | $60,090 | $49,130 | $65,500 | $62,260 |
| 84 | Portland, OR-WA | $60,090 | $48,690 | $65,730 | $57,000 |
| 85 | Abilene, TX | $60,050 | $51,750 | $64,150 | $66,450 |
| 86 | Pittsburgh, PA | $60,030 | $46,840 | $66,540 | $63,410 |
| 87 | Milwaukee, WI | $60,010 | $48,070 | $65,890 | $61,910 |
| 88 | Rochester, NY | $59,990 | $47,820 | $65,980 | $61,820 |
| 89 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $59,970 | $46,760 | $66,480 | $65,570 |
| 90 | Manchester, NH | $59,920 | $47,670 | $65,960 | $56,710 |
| 91 | Columbus, OH | $59,900 | $48,400 | $65,560 | $62,740 |
| 92 | Fort Wayne, IN | $59,900 | $47,470 | $66,020 | $64,710 |
| 93 | Macon, GA | $59,900 | $47,940 | $65,790 | $67,660 |
| 94 | Grand Junction, CO | $59,880 | $49,630 | $64,940 | $62,720 |
| 95 | Green Bay, WI | $59,860 | $50,500 | $64,480 | $64,310 |
| 96 | Baltimore, MD | $59,800 | $47,130 | $66,040 | $57,230 |
| 97 | Lafayette, LA | $59,720 | $47,990 | $65,480 | $68,480 |
| 98 | Riverside, CA | $59,720 | $45,590 | $66,680 | $56,110 |
| 99 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $59,700 | $46,550 | $66,160 | $54,560 |
| 100 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $59,680 | $46,680 | $66,060 | $58,190 |
| 101 | Dayton, OH | $59,630 | $49,650 | $64,540 | $64,330 |
| 102 | Little Rock, AR | $59,630 | $47,960 | $65,350 | $66,730 |
| 103 | Tampa, FL | $59,630 | $46,920 | $65,890 | $59,100 |
| 104 | Montgomery, AL | $59,530 | $49,000 | $64,710 | $66,380 |
| 105 | Greensboro, NC | $59,490 | $47,050 | $65,600 | $64,060 |
| 106 | Oklahoma City, OK | $59,490 | $47,030 | $65,620 | $65,800 |
| 107 | Oshkosh, WI | $59,450 | $49,630 | $64,290 | $63,970 |
| 108 | Shreveport, LA | $59,360 | $49,300 | $64,310 | $70,030 |
| 109 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $59,260 | $47,860 | $64,880 | $62,140 |
| 110 | Cleveland, OH | $59,260 | $47,380 | $65,120 | $63,090 |
| 111 | Chicago, IL-IN | $59,200 | $45,760 | $65,830 | $57,150 |
| 112 | Charleston, SC | $59,180 | $47,320 | $65,040 | $58,620 |
| 113 | Tulsa, OK | $59,130 | $45,070 | $66,060 | $66,280 |
| 114 | Albany, NY | $59,050 | $48,610 | $64,190 | $59,310 |
| 115 | Albuquerque, NM | $59,010 | $45,530 | $65,640 | $61,760 |
| 116 | Gulfport, MS | $58,950 | $47,150 | $64,750 | $65,500 |
| 117 | Orlando, FL | $58,950 | $46,400 | $65,120 | $58,130 |
| 118 | Salt Lake City, UT | $58,910 | $45,990 | $65,250 | $58,400 |
| 119 | Traverse City, MI | $58,910 | $49,480 | $63,540 | $63,090 |
| 120 | Knoxville, TN | $58,840 | $45,550 | $65,400 | $63,560 |
| 121 | Columbia, SC | $58,780 | $46,950 | $64,600 | $62,760 |
| 122 | Bakersfield, CA | $58,740 | $47,240 | $64,420 | $58,220 |
| 123 | Miami, FL | $58,740 | $46,450 | $64,790 | $51,460 |
| 124 | Syracuse, NY | $58,740 | $48,130 | $63,940 | $61,350 |
| 125 | Augusta, GA-SC | $58,640 | $47,130 | $64,290 | $63,810 |
| 126 | Birmingham, AL | $58,640 | $46,630 | $64,540 | $63,990 |
| 127 | Boise City, ID | $58,590 | $45,140 | $65,230 | $59,550 |
| 128 | Altoona, PA | $58,450 | $48,670 | $63,270 | $65,300 |
| 129 | Pensacola, FL | $58,410 | $48,150 | $63,460 | $59,770 |
| 130 | Harrisburg, PA | $58,340 | $46,970 | $63,940 | $59,140 |
| 131 | Lancaster, PA | $58,300 | $47,610 | $63,560 | $59,330 |
| 132 | Las Vegas, NV | $58,240 | $45,490 | $64,500 | $58,120 |
| 133 | Tucson, AZ | $58,240 | $47,030 | $63,750 | $60,110 |
| 134 | Billings, MT | $58,160 | $47,880 | $63,210 | $62,190 |
| 135 | Akron, OH | $58,140 | $46,630 | $63,790 | $62,270 |
| 136 | Spokane, WA | $58,120 | $46,280 | $63,940 | $57,920 |
| 137 | Muncie, IN | $58,090 | $45,200 | $64,440 | $65,900 |
| 138 | Springfield, MA | $58,090 | $45,200 | $64,460 | $60,470 |
| 139 | Mobile, AL | $58,010 | $46,920 | $63,460 | $65,850 |
| 140 | Huntsville, AL | $57,840 | $45,530 | $63,900 | $62,150 |
| 141 | Johnson City, TN | $57,740 | $42,200 | $65,420 | $65,670 |
| 142 | Jackson, MS | $57,720 | $46,800 | $63,110 | $64,820 |
| 143 | Dallas, TX | $57,700 | $42,270 | $65,290 | $55,970 |
| 144 | New Orleans, LA | $57,700 | $44,530 | $64,190 | $62,310 |
| 145 | Buffalo, NY | $57,640 | $47,130 | $62,820 | $60,140 |
| 146 | Lubbock, TX | $57,640 | $42,200 | $65,230 | $63,120 |
| 147 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $57,470 | $44,840 | $63,690 | $60,440 |
| 148 | Nashville, TN | $57,180 | $44,950 | $63,210 | $59,350 |
| 149 | Colorado Springs, CO | $57,120 | $45,390 | $62,880 | $56,720 |
| 150 | Fayetteville, NC | $56,870 | $46,130 | $62,150 | $61,830 |
| 151 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $56,830 | $44,370 | $62,960 | $61,060 |
| 152 | Jacksonville, FL | $56,700 | $42,560 | $63,670 | $56,990 |
| 153 | Houston, TX | $56,660 | $44,050 | $62,880 | $57,450 |
| 154 | Richmond, VA | $56,620 | $44,640 | $62,520 | $57,860 |
| 155 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $56,600 | $42,080 | $63,730 | $61,160 |
| 156 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $56,560 | $46,160 | $61,690 | $63,580 |
| 157 | Phoenix, AZ | $56,410 | $43,410 | $62,820 | $54,600 |
| 158 | Anchorage, AK | $56,010 | $45,260 | $61,300 | $53,130 |
| 159 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $55,790 | $44,410 | $61,380 | $60,520 |
| 160 | Gainesville, FL | $55,720 | $45,010 | $60,990 | $57,600 |
| 161 | Atlanta, GA | $55,680 | $43,220 | $61,820 | $55,650 |
| 162 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $52,620 | $41,500 | $58,120 | $54,050 |
| 163 | Indianapolis, IN | $52,170 | $42,560 | $56,910 | $54,520 |
More
More on postal service mail sorters
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor, and Processing Machine Operator salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays postal service mail sorters the most?
Erie, PA, where the average (mean) wage is $66,250 a year, followed by Wichita, KS ($65,790), Duluth, MN-WI ($65,750), San Francisco, CA ($64,190). The national mean is $59,430 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do postal service mail sorters earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Duluth, MN-WI ($74,070 at national prices, $65,750 nominal), Wichita, KS ($73,970 at national prices, $65,790 nominal), Erie, PA ($72,840 at national prices, $66,250 nominal).
How much do postal service mail sorters make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $61,570; Los Angeles, CA: $60,720; Chicago, IL-IN: $59,200; Dallas, TX: $57,700; Houston, TX: $56,660 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do postal service mail sorters earn the least?
Of the 163 metro areas with their own estimate, Indianapolis, IN has the lowest mean wage, $52,170. At local prices that is worth $54,520.