Office and Administrative Support Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 43-9051

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Median pay sits 33% below the mid peer in Office and Administrative Support Occupations (neighbors include Postal Service Clerks, Proofreaders and Copy Markers, Postal Service Mail Carriers, Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service: Postal Service Clerks ($62K) , Proofreaders and Copy Markers ($51K) , Postal Service Mail Carriers ($61K) , Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs ($54K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 43-9051 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Wrap packages or bundles by hand, or by using tying machines
  2. 2. Weigh packages or letters to determine postage needed, using weighing scales and rate charts
  3. 3. Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing
  4. 4. Inspect mail machine output for defects and determine how to eliminate causes of any defects
  5. 5. Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures
  6. 6. Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary
  7. 7. Remove from machines printed materials, such as labeled articles, postmarked envelopes or tape, and folded sheets
  8. 8. Affix postage to packages or letters by hand, or stamp materials, using postage meters
  9. 9. Determine manner in which mail is to be sent, and prepare it for delivery to mailing facilities
  10. 10. Release packages or letters to customers upon presentation of written notices or other identification
  11. 11. Operate computer-controlled keyboards or voice recognition equipment to direct items according to established routing schemes
  12. 12. Accept and check containers of mail or parcels from large volume mailers, couriers, and contractors

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 43-9051 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.0 ; lead knowledge Customer and Personal Service. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  2. 2. Speaking 3.0
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.0
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.0
  5. 5. Time Management 3.0
  6. 6. Active Listening 2.9
  7. 7. Writing 2.9
  8. 8. Coordination 2.9

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Customer and Personal Service 3.9
  2. 2. English Language 3.4
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.0
  4. 4. Law and Government 2.5
  5. 5. Education and Training 2.5
  6. 6. Administrative 2.5
Pay vs Office and Administrative Support Occupations peers
-33%
vs mid peer median $58,260
This role $39,280/yr
$39K
National median
↓ -7%
Growth 2024-2034
6,900
Annual openings
55,230
Estimated US jobs
Postal Service Clerks
Highest-pay peer · $62K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

1. Connecticut $43,970
2. California $44,410
3. New Jersey $43,700
4. Utah $45,150
5. Washington $46,380
6. Vermont $45,380
7. Massachusetts $48,860
8. Minnesota $44,840
9. District of Columbia $49,240
10. Maine $44,780

Other Office and Administrative Support Occupations titles

  1. 1. Postal Service Mail Carriers $60,550
  2. 2. Proofreaders and Copy Markers $51,120
  3. 3. Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs $54,210
  4. 4. Postal Service Clerks $62,130
  5. 5. Cargo and Freight Agents $52,260
  6. 6. Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $55,570

Among Office and Administrative Support Occupations peers on this card, Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service sits 33% below the mid peer median ($58,260). Its own median is $39,280.

Employment Projections expect -7% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 6,900 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Connecticut at $43,970. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Postal Service Clerks at $62,130. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service pay-rank #48 in Office and Administrative Support Occupations

On the Office and Administrative Support Occupations median table (54 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service lands at #48, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 43-9051 · national median $39,280 · lower third of Office and Administrative Support Occupations (#48/54). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 43-9051

Connecticut · top state for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

$44K published median

California · #2 state pay

$44K · behind Connecticut

Postal Service Clerks

Highest-pay peer vs Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service · $62K

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Lower-pay peer beside Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service · $51K

Compare Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service

Against another occupation

Postal Service Clerks card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service land on the Office and Administrative Support Occupations median table? ▼
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service is pay-rank #48 of 54 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Couriers and Messengers ($39K), Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service ($39K), Receptionists and Information Clerks ($38K), Office Machine Operators, Except Computer ($41K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service. Leading ones include: Wrap packages or bundles by hand, or by using tying machines; Weigh packages or letters to determine postage needed, using weighing scales and rate charts; Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing; Inspect mail machine output for defects and determine how to eliminate causes of any defects. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service? ▼
For SOC 43-9051, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.0), Speaking (3.0), Critical Thinking (3.0), Monitoring (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $39,280 as the national median for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service. The published 10th-90th range is $30,780 to $54,820. Beside Postal Service Clerks ($62,130), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service is -7%. Projected annual openings: about 6,900. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service? ▼
Connecticut ($43,970), California ($44,410), New Jersey ($43,700) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 43-9051. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics