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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $61,570/year ($29.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $70,721 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 26% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $58K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $61K | $66K |
| Cedar Rapids | $57K | $65K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $58K | $66K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $58K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $24K 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 26% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,046/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $58K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $61,570 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,770, 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 $62K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,036/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 26% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (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 $70,721 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.