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Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators

Office and Administrative Support · SOC 43-5053

0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$58,470
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
4,900
Proj. Annual Openings
105,200
Employment (OEWS 2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score

AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.

AI Exposure Analysis

AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure19.1%

Top Skills

1.Monitoring
2.Reading Comprehension
3.Speaking
4.Critical Thinking
5.Coordination

O*NET occupation profile

What this work involves

Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution for the United States Postal Service (USPS). Examine, sort, and route mail. Load, operate, and occasionally adjust and repair mail processing, sorting, and canceling machinery. Keep records of shipments, pouches, and sacks, and perform other duties related to mail handling within the postal service. Includes postal service mail sorters and processors employed by USPS contractors.

Common titles: Automation Clerk, Computer Forwarding System Markup Clerk (CFS Markup Clerk), Distribution Clerk, Flat Sorting Machine Clerk (FSM Clerk), Mail Handler, Mail Handler Equipment Operator

Representative Tasks

  • Clear jams in sorting equipment.
  • Operate various types of equipment, such as computer scanning equipment, addressographs, mimeographs, optical character readers, and bar-code sorters.
  • Sort odd-sized mail by hand, sort mail that other workers have been unable to sort, and segregate items requiring special handling.
  • Direct items according to established routing schemes, using computer-controlled keyboards or voice-recognition equipment.
  • Check items to ensure that addresses are legible and correct, that sufficient postage has been paid or the appropriate documentation is attached, and that items are in a suitable condition for processing.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Route mail to correct destinations.
  • Maintain office equipment in proper operating condition.
  • Verify shipping documentation.
  • Package objects for shipping.
  • Operate computers or computerized equipment.

Tools & Technologies

Microsoft Excel · hotMicrosoft Outlook · hotSAP software · hotAddress Management System AMSDelivery operations information system DOISDirectory softwareMulti-line optical character reader OCR software

Related Occupations

Employment Projections & AI Exposure

15
Occupations Shown
27.0%
Avg AI Exposure
8
Bright Outlook

Sector Comparison

MetricThis CareerSector Average
AI Exposure0.0%19.1%
OutlookAverage22% Bright
Median Salary$58,470N/A
AI Resiliency100/100N/A