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 Great Falls, MT is $60,010/year ($28.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.84), that's roughly $61,968 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Great Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Great Falls’s Regional Price Parity (96.84). 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 Great Falls
Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators pay in Great Falls tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,284/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.84) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Great Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $57K | $61K |
| Missoula | $59K | $62K |
| Boise City | $57K | $58K |
| Sioux Falls | $61K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Great Falls, MT
Entry-level postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $30K 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)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Great Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 32.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in Great Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,732/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Great Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Great Falls compare to the national average for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators?
Great Falls pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make in Great Falls, MT?
The median is $60,010 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,530, and experienced postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators can clear $75,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Great Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,985/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 32.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators salary go in Great Falls?
Great Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 96.84 (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 $61,968 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.