shipping goes up DRAMATICALLY with product weight

Without product weight, the USPS shipping estimates at $7.50. When I add the weight of 9.5 oz it goes up to $27.55! I do have my weight symbol as oz in General Settings. The Grams in the unit of weight was at 453.6 which I left alone because I don't know what that means. Could that be the problem?

Oh my gosh that was it. And the dunce cap goes too… ME!