SOC 43-5053 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators — Portland
Portland-South Portland, ME · 1 metro areas compared
At $59,760, median pay for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators in Portland, ME tracks the national median of $58,470 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $59,760, median pay for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators in Portland, ME tracks the national median of $58,470 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $52,670 and $75,030. The lowest tenth earn under $47,440, while the highest tenth earn more than $76,090.
The area has 330 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.68 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Bangor leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $58,300. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 289th of 501 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $47,440 | −18.9% |
| 25th | $52,670 | −9.9% |
| Median (50th) | $59,760 | +2.2% |
| 75th | $75,030 | +28.3% |
| 90th | $76,090 | +30.1% |
| Mean | $61,680 | +5.5% |
Other metro areas in Maine
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangor | $58,300 | 100 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Portland run 2.9% below the national average, so the median of $59,760 goes as far as $61,545 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 5.3% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$59,760as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$61,545US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $59,760 a year, 2.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $47,440 to $76,090 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 330 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Bangor, at $58,300.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators in Portland, ME?
The median annual wage is $59,760, or $28.73 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $58,470, so pay in Portland, ME is 2.2% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Portland, ME earns more than $76,090 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $47,440 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Bangor, at $58,300 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 330 jobs in this occupation in Portland, ME. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
Explore related data