Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary
The median pay for a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in Champaign-Urbana, IL is $59,490/year ($28.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.7), which stretches that salary to about $64,175 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,122/month, or 28.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $59K get you in Champaign-Urbana?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Champaign-Urbana’s Regional Price Parity (92.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
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What this looks like in Champaign-Urbana
Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators pay in Champaign-Urbana tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,122/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in metros near Champaign-Urbana, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $58K | $56K |
| Springfield | $58K | $63K |
| Peoria | $61K | $66K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $47K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Champaign-Urbana, IL
Entry-level postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $67K | +14% | 400 |
| South Dakota | $62K | +5% | 210 |
| New Jersey | $61K | +4% | 3,660 |
| Wyoming | $61K | +4% | 120 |
| Iowa | $61K | +4% | 1,040 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +2% | 240 |
| Minnesota | $60K | +2% | 1,840 |
| Vermont | $59K | +2% | 110 |
| Nebraska | $59K | +2% | 640 |
| Hawaii | $59K | +2% | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $59K | +2% | 600 |
| California | $59K | +2% | 10,090 |
| Washington | $59K | +2% | 1,770 |
| Maine | $59K | +2% | 440 |
| Michigan | $59K | +2% | 3,370 |
| Colorado | $58K | +0% | 1,910 |
| Arkansas | $58K | +0% | 570 |
| Connecticut | $58K | +0% | 1,020 |
| Delaware | $58K | +0% | 410 |
| Louisiana | $58K | +0% | 1,200 |
| Maryland | $58K | +0% | 2,430 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +0% | 2,910 |
| Nevada | $58K | +0% | 920 |
| New Mexico | $58K | +0% | 350 |
| New York | $58K | +0% | 8,290 |
| Ohio | $58K | +0% | 3,700 |
| Oklahoma | $58K | +0% | 790 |
| West Virginia | $58K | +0% | 410 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +0% | 1,420 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -0% | 1,280 |
| Illinois | $58K | -0% | 5,370 |
| New Hampshire | $58K | -0% | 690 |
| Virginia | $58K | -0% | 2,420 |
| Oregon | $58K | -1% | 1,090 |
| Mississippi | $58K | -1% | 350 |
| Florida | $57K | -2% | 7,240 |
| Idaho | $57K | -2% | 250 |
| Alabama | $57K | -2% | 1,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -2% | 5,630 |
| Utah | $57K | -2% | 860 |
| Kentucky | $57K | -2% | 950 |
| Missouri | $57K | -2% | 2,730 |
| Montana | $57K | -2% | 270 |
| Tennessee | $56K | -4% | 2,850 |
| Texas | $56K | -4% | 7,900 |
| Arizona | $55K | -5% | 2,180 |
| Alaska | $55K | -5% | 230 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -5% | 4,040 |
| Kansas | $55K | -7% | 870 |
| Georgia | $53K | -9% | 3,050 |
| Indiana | $49K | -16% | 2,600 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Champaign-Urbana?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 28.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,122/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in Champaign-Urbana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,933/month. At HUD’s $1,122/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operator a high-paying job in Champaign-Urbana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Champaign-Urbana compare to the national average for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators?
Champaign-Urbana pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make in Champaign-Urbana, IL?
The median is $59,490 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,880, and experienced postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators can clear $75,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Champaign-Urbana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,908/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,122/month, which eats 28.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators salary go in Champaign-Urbana?
Champaign-Urbana has a Regional Price Parity of 92.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators salary is worth about $64,175 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.