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.
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 →
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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