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Mail handler: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$58,470median pay per year, or $28.11 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $45,530lowest 10% earn less
  2. $48,88025th percentile
  3. $58,470median
  4. $75,03075th percentile
  5. $75,280top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median pay for postal service mail sorters, processors and processing machine operators was $58,470 a year, above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to fall 5.3% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-5.3%[3]
Openings per year
7,300[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do mail handlers make?

The median pay for a mail handler was $58,470 a year, or $28.11 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $59,430 a year, or $28.57 an hour[7]. For comparison, the median across all occupations was $50,980[2].

Here is how pay was spread across the occupation[4][8]:

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[4][8] $45,530 $21.89
25th[4][8] $48,880 $23.50
75th[4][8] $75,030 $36.07
90th[4][8] $75,280 $36.19

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $45,530, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $75,280[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 105,200 people held these jobs[11].

Pay by state and city

The District of Columbia had the highest median pay at $66,750, followed by South Dakota at $61,570[12]. Iowa, New Jersey and Wyoming each had a median of $60,530[12]. Indiana had the lowest listed median at $48,880[12].

California had the most jobs with 10,090, followed by New York with 8,290, Texas with 7,900, Florida with 7,240 and Pennsylvania with 5,630[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Wichita, KS had the highest median at $66,750, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $63,650[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs with 9,010 and a median of $59,490[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[12]$66,750400
South Dakota$61,570210
Iowa$60,5301,040
New Jersey$60,5303,660
Wyoming$60,530120
North Dakota$59,840240
Minnesota$59,7401,840
California$59,49010,090
Hawaii$59,490370
Maine$59,490440
Michigan$59,4903,370
Nebraska$59,490640
Rhode Island$59,490600
Vermont$59,490110
Washington$59,4901,770
Arkansas$58,470570
Colorado$58,4701,910
Connecticut$58,4701,020
Delaware$58,470410
Louisiana$58,4701,200
Maryland$58,4702,430
Massachusetts$58,4702,910
Nevada$58,470920
New Mexico$58,470350
New York$58,4708,290
Ohio$58,4703,700
Oklahoma$58,470790
West Virginia$58,470410
Wisconsin$58,4701,420
South Carolina$58,3901,280
Illinois$58,3005,370
New Hampshire$58,300690
Virginia$58,3002,420
Oregon$57,8901,090
Mississippi$57,800350
Alabama$57,4301,150
Florida$57,4307,240
Idaho$57,430250
Kentucky$57,430950
Missouri$57,4302,730
Montana$57,430270
Pennsylvania$57,4305,630
Utah$57,430860
Tennessee$56,3902,850
Texas$56,3907,900
Alaska$55,350230
Arizona$55,3502,180
North Carolina$55,3504,040
Kansas$54,540870
Georgia$53,2903,050
Indiana$48,8802,600

How to become a mail handler

A formal degree is not part of the typical path. The training details here come from a Postal Service Workers profile that covers a wider group of occupations than this page[16].

Postal workers who drive a vehicle need a driver's license[21].

What mail handlers do

Mail handlers prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution by the United States Postal Service[22]. Common tasks include[23]:

Job titles reported by workers include Mail Handler, Mail Processor and Distribution Clerk[24].

Where they work

This job is done indoors, usually in a post office[25]. In the wider postal profile, the Postal Service accounted for 100% of the largest employers listed[26]. Mail is usually delivered six days a week, so many postal workers work on Saturdays, and some work on Sundays[27].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 5.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 101,200 to 95,900 jobs[3]. Employment across all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[28]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, so they differ from the wage and salary count above[3].

Jobs still open up. BLS projects about 7,300 openings a year on average[5]. Openings include jobs that come open when workers retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year 4.3% of workers leave the labor force and 3.7% move to a different occupation[29].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a job with no formal degree requirement and short on-the-job training[6]. Median pay sits above the all-occupations median[1][2]. The trade-off is the outlook, since employment is projected to shrink while all occupations grow[3][28]. Openings include jobs that open when workers leave or change occupations[5][29]. Applicants also face a written exam and several screenings before they are hired[18][19].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[30].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a mail handler make an hour?
The median was $28.11 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $21.89 and the 90th was $36.19[8].
What education do you need to be a mail handler?
No formal educational credential is typically needed[6]. In an O*NET survey of 28 workers, 81% said a high school diploma or the equivalent is required[17].
How long does it take to become a mail handler?
BLS lists short-term on-the-job training[6]. The wider postal profile says training usually lasts a few weeks[20]. Applicants must also pass a written exam[18].
Is mail handler a growing job?
No. Employment is projected to decline 5.3% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3][28]. About 7,300 openings a year are still projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for mail handlers?
The District of Columbia, with a median of $66,750[12]. Among states, South Dakota came next at $61,570[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators in the US was $58,470 per year and $28.11 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators is projected to decline 5.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 101,200 to 95,900 jobs (a change of -5,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators: 10th percentile $45,530, 25th percentile $48,880, 75th percentile $75,030, 90th percentile $75,280. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 7,300 openings for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators was $59,430 per year and $28.57 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators: 10th percentile $21.89, 25th percentile $23.50, 75th percentile $36.07, 90th percentile $36.19. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 105,200 people were employed as Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators jobs: California 10,090; New York 8,290; Texas 7,900; Florida 7,240; Pennsylvania 5,630. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Wichita, KS $66,750; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $63,650; Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $61,710; McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $61,570; Lansing-East Lansing, MI $60,740; Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $60,530; Evansville, IN $60,530; Fresno, CA $60,530. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 9,010 (median $59,490); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 4,920 (median $58,300); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,700 (median $59,490); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,850 (median $56,390); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,870 (median $57,430); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 2,750 (median $50,770). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postal Service Workers" covers Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. O*NET 43-5053.00 survey of workers (28 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 81%, Less than a High School Diploma 12%, Some College Courses 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET description of Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET 43-5053.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Automation Clerk, Computer Forwarding System Markup Clerk (CFS Markup Clerk), Distribution Clerk, Flat Sorting Machine Clerk (FSM Clerk), Mail Handler, Mail Handler Equipment Operator, Mail Processing Clerk, Mail Processor. O*NET OnLine
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postal service workers in 2025: Postal service 100%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators: 4.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.7% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  30. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.