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 New Jersey is $60,530/year ($29.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $60,932 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 52.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in New Jersey?
About postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
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What this looks like in New Jersey
Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators pay in New Jersey tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 50.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators salary by metro in New Jersey
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton | $60K | -1% | 470 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 50.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/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 New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,846/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 New Jersey?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators?
New Jersey pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make in New Jersey?
The median is $60,530 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,440, and experienced postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators can clear $76,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,069/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 50.8% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $60,932 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.