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 Portland-South Portland, ME is $59,760/year ($28.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $58,669 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 54.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 54.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $58K | $60K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $58K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $29K 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 Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 54.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/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 Portland-South Portland?
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 $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators?
Portland-South Portland pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $59,760 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 $76,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,937/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 54.1% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators salary is worth about $58,669 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.