Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,780 | $14.80 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $39,280 | $18.89 |
| Mean (average) | $41,650 | $20.03 |
| 90th percentile | $54,820 | $26.36 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,190 | $24,470 | $47,380 | 470 | 0.63 |
| Alaska | Data unavailable | 130 | 1.14 | ||
| Arizona | $38,260 | $32,550 | $47,190 | 810 | 0.7 |
| Arkansas | $37,940 | $25,710 | $46,470 | 330 | 0.71 |
| California | $44,410 | $36,110 | $63,150 | 4,710 | 0.73 |
| Colorado | $43,430 | $32,120 | $58,240 | 880 | 0.86 |
| Connecticut | $43,970 | $36,910 | $55,450 | 680 | 1.12 |
| Delaware | $36,450 | $31,750 | $46,340 | 630 | 3.68 |
| District of Columbia | $49,240 | $39,820 | $72,230 | 310 | 1.25 |
| Florida | $39,300 | $31,420 | $62,720 | 2,470 | 0.7 |
| Georgia | $36,110 | $28,390 | $48,720 | 1,850 | 1.06 |
| Hawaii | $38,270 | $34,090 | $50,520 | 200 | 0.88 |
| Idaho | $39,890 | $30,360 | $46,340 | 110 | 0.36 |
| Illinois | $38,190 | $31,230 | $50,640 | 3,150 | 1.46 |
| Indiana | $38,490 | $28,900 | $49,960 | 1,310 | 1.16 |
| Iowa | $35,610 | $26,100 | $46,840 | 830 | 1.5 |
| Kansas | $36,020 | $28,540 | $45,380 | 750 | 1.47 |
| Kentucky | $37,890 | $27,420 | $47,370 | 530 | 0.75 |
| Louisiana | $34,860 | $26,540 | $44,350 | 590 | 0.86 |
| Maine | $44,780 | $37,490 | $49,840 | 160 | 0.72 |
| Maryland | $40,280 | $32,280 | $53,850 | 1,580 | 1.61 |
| Massachusetts | $48,860 | $36,600 | $65,420 | 1,050 | 0.81 |
| Michigan | $36,900 | $30,080 | $48,530 | 1,660 | 1.06 |
| Minnesota | $44,840 | $35,460 | $55,040 | 1,170 | 1.11 |
| Mississippi | $34,350 | $21,690 | $45,660 | 270 | 0.65 |
| Missouri | $38,110 | $31,770 | $48,050 | 1,140 | 1.1 |
| Montana | $38,880 | $31,200 | $46,110 | 180 | 1.01 |
| Nebraska | $40,080 | $29,460 | $48,560 | 240 | 0.66 |
| Nevada | $40,520 | $28,490 | $52,710 | 420 | 0.77 |
| New Hampshire | $41,060 | $31,450 | $56,480 | 280 | 1.15 |
| New Jersey | $43,700 | $37,040 | $61,510 | 2,210 | 1.45 |
| New Mexico | $40,080 | $33,340 | $48,370 | 100 | 0.32 |
| New York | $42,020 | $34,700 | $57,480 | 5,990 | 1.74 |
| North Carolina | $37,830 | $28,420 | $47,570 | 1,280 | 0.73 |
| North Dakota | $38,120 | $35,300 | $46,860 | 110 | 0.71 |
| Ohio | $38,470 | $29,250 | $49,130 | 2,210 | 1.12 |
| Oklahoma | $36,680 | $23,290 | $52,000 | 810 | 1.34 |
| Oregon | $43,450 | $33,500 | $53,580 | 370 | 0.53 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,980 | $29,050 | $50,540 | 2,810 | 1.31 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,560 | $21,840 | $47,500 | 160 | 0.48 |
| Rhode Island | $38,330 | $36,090 | $49,750 | 310 | 1.74 |
| South Carolina | $36,780 | $31,630 | $51,540 | 580 | 0.71 |
| South Dakota | $37,580 | $30,530 | $47,820 | 320 | 1.97 |
| Tennessee | $35,610 | $25,370 | $45,430 | 760 | 0.65 |
| Texas | $38,470 | $27,630 | $49,290 | 3,250 | 0.65 |
| Utah | $45,150 | $35,180 | $54,820 | 460 | 0.75 |
| Vermont | $45,380 | $37,430 | $54,840 | 120 | 1.09 |
| Virginia | $36,780 | $27,140 | $53,250 | 1,610 | 1.1 |
| Washington | $46,380 | $37,260 | $61,510 | 1,360 | 1.08 |
| West Virginia | $35,140 | $21,390 | $50,480 | 270 | 1.07 |
| Wisconsin | $37,730 | $27,310 | $49,850 | 1,310 | 1.25 |
| Wyoming | $32,940 | $19,280 | $44,520 | 90 | 0.95 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 4,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Lift and unload containers of mail or parcels onto equipment for transportation to sortation stations.
- Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing.
- Clear jams in sortation equipment.
- Place incoming or outgoing letters or packages into sacks or bins based on destination or type, and place identifying tags on sacks or bins.
- Release packages or letters to customers upon presentation of written notices or other identification.
- Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures.
- Determine manner in which mail is to be sent, and prepare it for delivery to mailing facilities.
- Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Email software
- Financial accounting software
- Postal Explorer
- Recordkeeping software
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Coordination, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness.
Common job titles: Insert Operator, Inserter Operator, Mail Clerk, Mail Handler, Mail Machine Operator, Mail Processor, Mail Sorter, Mailing Equipment Operator, Mailroom Processor, Postal Clerk.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service make?
The national median annual wage for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service was $39,280 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $30,780 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $54,820. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service a growing career?
BLS projects employment of mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service to change -7.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 4,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($49,240), Massachusetts ($48,860), Washington ($46,380). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.