Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators Salary in Chicago, IL
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $58,300 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $46,283 take-home, or $3,857 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,816
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,615
- Medicare (1.45%)$845
- Illinois income tax$2,741
- Take-home pay$46,283
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,600 | $20.48 | $34,445 | $2,870 |
| 25th percentile | $48,880 | $23.50 | $39,180 | $3,265 |
| Median (50th) | $58,300 | $28.03 | $46,283 | $3,857 |
| 75th percentile | $75,030 | $36.07 | $58,044 | $4,837 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $75,280 | $36.19 | $58,208 | $4,851 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $58,300 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators's $46,283 take-home pay has the buying power of $44,677 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Chicago, IL has 1.6× the national concentration of postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #3 of 7 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas, TX | $56,390 | $47,489 | $46,066 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $57,430 | $46,562 | $45,402 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $58,300 | $46,283 | $44,677 |
| 4 | Miami, FL | $57,430 | $48,325 | $42,333 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $59,490 | $47,365 | $42,078 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $59,490 | $47,588 | $41,903 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $50,770 | $40,962 | $40,938 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 7 metros →
About the job: postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
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.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -5.3% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators make in Chicago, IL?
The median postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $58,300 a year, or about $28.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,880 and $75,030.
What is a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $58,300 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $46,283 a year ($3,857 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,741 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $58,470. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $44,677 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #3 of 7 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 40% of a median postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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