Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
What Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators 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.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- Not available
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- English Languageimportance 3.0/5
- Production and Processingimportance 2.5/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.4/5
- Administrativeimportance 2.3/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.2/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.1/5
- Transportationimportance 2.1/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 1.9/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled5.0/5
- Time Pressure4.7/5
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.5/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.5/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.4/5
- Spend Time Standing4.3/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders94% skill match
- Paperhangers94% skill match
- Food Batchmakers93% skill match
- Bus Drivers, School93% skill match
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers93% skill match
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand93% skill match
- Bridge and Lock Tenders92% skill match
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians92% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Operations Monitoringimportance 2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
- Time Managementimportance 2.9/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.8/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 2.8/5
- Service Orientationimportance 2.5/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.5/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Address Management System AMS
- Automated Package Processing System APPS
- Barcode reader software
- Delivery Routing System DRS
- Delivery operations information system DOIS
- Directory software
- Electronic Time Clock ETC
- Multi-line optical character reader OCR software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Stress Tolerance
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
- Cooperation
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- ConventionalHigh
- RealisticMedium
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
- InvestigativeLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Springfield, MA7.72× national avg
- 2Fayetteville, NC5.39× national avg
- 3Charleston, WV5.09× national avg
- 4Manchester-Nashua, NH4.95× national avg
- 5Greensboro-High Point, NC4.49× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceLateral Move
- Couriers and MessengersLateral Move
- Railroad Conductors and YardmastersCareer Change
- Locomotive EngineersCareer Change