Occupational Employment Statistics

DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

43-5053 Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

Occupational Description:
Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. 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 other duties related to mail handling within the postal service. Excludes "Postal Service Clerks" (43-5051) and "Postal Service Mail Carriers" (43-5052).

Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
First Quarter 2025

Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Percentiles
Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Mean	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
Northwest Minnesota	30	10	$28.96/hr	$20.72/hr	$25.44/hr	$27.96/hr	$36.01/hr	$36.66/hr

Leading Industries for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

Industry	OES Employment (Statewide)	OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	2,040	$27.96/hr

Other Regional Data for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

Geography	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Northeast Balance of State	N/A	N/A	N/A
La Crosse WI-MN MSA	10	$32.75/hr	N/A
Southeast Balance of State	10	$20.72/hr	N/A
Southeast Minnesota	20	$26.44/hr	-11.9%
Rochester MN MSA	20	$29.99/hr	N/A
Northwest Balance of State	20	$28.96/hr	N/A
Southwest Balance of State	20	$30.73/hr	N/A
Northwest Minnesota	30	$27.96/hr	-11.8%
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA	30	$28.46/hr	N/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA	40	$27.73/hr	N/A
Southwest Minnesota	50	$28.72/hr	-10.5%
Duluth MN-WI MSA	50	$32.69/hr	N/A
St Cloud MN MSA	50	$28.71/hr	N/A
Northeast Minnesota	60	$32.49/hr	-10.3%
Central Minnesota	70	$27.96/hr	-11.1%
Fargo ND-MN MSA	120	$29.47/hr	N/A
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	1,810	$27.96/hr	-11.5%
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA	1,820	$27.96/hr	N/A
Minnesota	2,050	$27.96/hr	-10.9%

Related Occupations

Occupations	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand	50	$23.13/hr	-21.7%
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service	1,510	$20.75/hr	-6.3%
Sewing Machine Operators	2,370	$19.79/hr	-4.1%

Task for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

Operate various types of equipment, such as computer scanning equipment, addressographs, mimeographs, optical character readers, and bar-code sorters.
Clear jams in sorting equipment.
Bundle, label, and route sorted mail to designated areas, depending on destinations and according to established procedures and deadlines.
Direct items according to established routing schemes, using computer-controlled keyboards or voice-recognition equipment.
Open and label mail containers.
Accept and check containers of mail from large volume mailers, couriers, and contractors.
Sort odd-sized mail by hand, sort mail that other workers have been unable to sort, and segregate items requiring special handling.
Load and unload mail trucks, sometimes lifting containers of mail onto equipment that transports items to sorting stations.
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.
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.