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Career

Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $58,470 Median per year · $28.11/hr Most earn $45,530–$75,280

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Load and unload mail trucks, sometimes lifting containers of mail onto equipment that transports items to sorting stations.
  • Load and unload mail trucks, sometimes lifting containers of mail onto equipment that transports items to sorting stations.
  • Move containers of mail, using equipment, such as forklifts and automated "trains".
  • 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.
  • Distribute incoming mail into the correct boxes or pigeonholes.
  • Train new workers.

Job outlook

United States
5% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 7,300 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Postal service100.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: None

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with just a high school diploma and no prior work experience, so you can often begin soon after graduation.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic education most employers ask for, and it's the only requirement for this job's typical entry path.

  2. Mail Sorter / Mail Processing Clerk

    Start right after high school

    You learn to sort and route mail, run sorting machines, and keep shipment records while working alongside experienced staff. This is where most people begin and build their skills on the job.

Where it can lead

  1. Postal Service Clerk

    6 months to 1 year of experience first

    Clerks work more with customers and counter service, handling sales, package acceptance, and transactions rather than running large sorting machines. It's a move toward more customer-facing work.

  2. Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerk

    6 months to 1 year of experience first

    This role uses similar skills in tracking shipments and recordkeeping, but for businesses and warehouses rather than the postal service. It can be a good option if you want to try a different employer.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and computer classesStrong basic math and computer skills help with counting, tracking records, and using scanners and tracking systems.
  • Get a part-time or summer jobAny job where you handle items, follow schedules, and keep track of things shows employers you can do repetitive, detail-focused work.
  • Join a club that builds teamworkGroups like sports teams or clubs teach you to work with others and follow a process, which matters in a busy processing center.
  • Practice being organized and accurateKeeping neat notes, labeling items carefully, and double-checking your work builds the accuracy this job depends on.
  • Ask about career days or job shadowingMany schools host career events or can connect you with local employers, which can help you see the work up close.

In college

  • Take business, logistics, or supply chain coursesClasses about shipping and supply chains give you context for how mail and packages move through a system.
  • Work a campus job in the mailroom or a shipping officeCampus mailrooms and receiving offices offer hands-on experience sorting, tracking, and routing items.
  • Earn a basic computer or spreadsheet certificateMany schools and libraries offer short courses in common office software, which helps with recordkeeping tasks.
  • Get a part-time warehouse or retail stocking jobWorking in fast-paced areas where items must be sorted and tracked builds the speed and accuracy this job needs.
  • Volunteer for a local event or food bank with sorting dutiesOrganizing donations or supplies gives you real sorting and inventory experience you can describe on a job application.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask about the job's pay range and what the work is like day to day on the career's own page, since pay varies by location and I don't have those figures to share here.
  • Build a good attendance record and reliability now, such as through a part-time job or chores, because dependable workers are what employers look for in sorting and processing roles.
  • Get comfortable with basic computers and simple recordkeeping, since much of the work involves scanning, logging, and tracking items.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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