43 Series · SOC 43-9051

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$39,280
Median / year
$54,820
Top 10% earn
-6.6%
Growth '23–'33
55,230
US workers

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service earn a median of $39,280 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $39,280, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $30,780 (10th percentile) to $54,820 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 55,230 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($49,240), since pay varies by state and metro area.

43 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service earn a median of $39,280, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 11% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #48 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 6.6% by 2033.

$39,280
Median annual wage
Top 89%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#48 of 54
in Office and Administrative Support
1.8×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $49,240. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service (SOC 43-9051) pays a national median of $39,280 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $30,780 at the 10th percentile to $54,820 at the 90th, with a mean of $41,650 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 55,230 Americans work in this occupation across 51 reporting states and 223 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -6.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 6,900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $49,240, which is +25% above the national figure. The top metro is Springfield, MA at $51,490 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 55,230 jobs Median $39,280/yr

Median Salary

$39,280

per year

Median Hourly

$18.89/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$41,650

average

Employment

55,230

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$39,280 Bottom 11% higher than 11% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 43-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service sits on the slower-growing side at -6.6% growth and $39,280 median pay.

Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service sits on the slower-growing side at -6.6% growth and $39,280 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -20%-15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service sits on the slower-growing side at -6.6% growth and $39,280 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-6.6%

Declining

Annual Openings

6,900

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.5/100K

Injury Rate

1/100

Danger Index

4.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Critical Thinking 3.0
Monitoring 3.0
Time Management 3.0
Active Listening 2.9
Writing 2.9
Coordination 2.9
Operations Monitoring 2.9
Operation and Control 2.9

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 3.9
English Language 3.4
Mathematics 3.0
Law and Government 2.5
Education and Training 2.5
Administrative 2.5
Administration and Management 2.4
Public Safety and Security 2.3
Transportation 2.1
Computers and Electronics 2.0

Key Tasks

  • 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.
  • Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures.
  • Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary.
  • Remove from machines printed materials, such as labeled articles, postmarked envelopes or tape, and folded sheets.
  • Affix postage to packages or letters by hand, or stamp materials, using postage meters.
  • Determine manner in which mail is to be sent, and prepare it for delivery to mailing facilities.
  • Release packages or letters to customers upon presentation of written notices or other identification.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$30,780$35,470$39,280$46,450$54,820
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$14.80$17.05$18.89$22.33$26.36
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$30,780

25th Percentile

$35,470

Median

$39,280

75th Percentile

$46,450

90th Percentile

$54,820

Salary by State

View all 51 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $49,240 +25% above national
2 Massachusetts $48,860 +24% above national
3 Washington $46,380 +18% above national
4 Vermont $45,380 +16% above national
5 Utah $45,150 +15% above national
6 Minnesota $44,840 +14% above national
7 Maine $44,780 +14% above national
8 California $44,410 +13% above national
9 Connecticut $43,970 +12% above national
10 New Jersey $43,700 +11% above national
11 Oregon $43,450 +11% above national
12 Colorado $43,430 +11% above national
13 New York $42,020 +7% above national
14 New Hampshire $41,060 +5% above national
15 Nevada $40,520 +3% above national
16 Maryland $40,280 +3% above national
17 Nebraska $40,080 +2% above national
18 New Mexico $40,080 +2% above national
19 Idaho $39,890 +2% above national
20 Florida $39,300 same as national
21 Montana $38,880 1% below national
22 Indiana $38,490 2% below national
23 Ohio $38,470 2% below national
24 Texas $38,470 2% below national
25 Rhode Island $38,330 2% below national
26 Hawaii $38,270 3% below national
27 Arizona $38,260 3% below national
28 Illinois $38,190 3% below national
29 North Dakota $38,120 3% below national
30 Missouri $38,110 3% below national
31 Pennsylvania $37,980 3% below national
32 Arkansas $37,940 3% below national
33 Kentucky $37,890 4% below national
34 North Carolina $37,830 4% below national
35 Wisconsin $37,730 4% below national
36 South Dakota $37,580 4% below national
37 Michigan $36,900 6% below national
38 South Carolina $36,780 6% below national
39 Virginia $36,780 6% below national
40 Oklahoma $36,680 7% below national
41 Delaware $36,450 7% below national
42 Alabama $36,190 8% below national
43 Georgia $36,110 8% below national
44 Kansas $36,020 8% below national
45 Iowa $35,610 9% below national
46 Tennessee $35,610 9% below national
47 West Virginia $35,140 11% below national
48 Louisiana $34,860 11% below national
49 Mississippi $34,350 13% below national
50 Wyoming $32,940 16% below national
51 Puerto Rico $23,560 40% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 223 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Springfield, MA $51,490 +31% above national
2 Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $49,740 +27% above national
3 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $49,520 +26% above national
4 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $49,270 +25% above national
5 Duluth, MN-WI $48,430 +23% above national
6 Salem, OR $48,420 +23% above national
7 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $48,120 +23% above national
8 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $48,050 +22% above national
9 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $47,500 +21% above national
10 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $47,430 +21% above national
11 Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $47,160 +20% above national
12 Mankato, MN $47,050 +20% above national
13 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $47,050 +20% above national
14 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $46,930 +19% above national
15 Worcester, MA $46,290 +18% above national
16 Reno, NV $46,230 +18% above national
17 New Haven, CT $45,710 +16% above national
18 York-Hanover, PA $45,390 +16% above national
19 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $45,380 +16% above national
20 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $44,840 +14% above national
21 Portland-South Portland, ME $44,800 +14% above national
22 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $44,760 +14% above national
23 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $44,580 +13% above national
24 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $44,280 +13% above national
25 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $44,220 +13% above national
26 St. Cloud, MN $44,220 +13% above national
27 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $43,590 +11% above national
28 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $43,540 +11% above national
29 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $43,430 +11% above national
30 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $43,240 +10% above national
31 Iowa City, IA $43,240 +10% above national
32 Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $43,240 +10% above national
33 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $43,180 +10% above national
34 Jacksonville, FL $43,080 +10% above national
35 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $43,000 +9% above national
36 Carson City, NV $42,660 +9% above national
37 Madison, WI $42,340 +8% above national
38 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $42,320 +8% above national
39 Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $42,260 +8% above national
40 Colorado Springs, CO $42,200 +7% above national
41 Syracuse, NY $42,150 +7% above national
42 Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $42,060 +7% above national
43 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $41,940 +7% above national
44 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $41,800 +6% above national
45 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $41,760 +6% above national
46 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $41,430 +5% above national
47 Kingston, NY $41,390 +5% above national
48 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $41,210 +5% above national
49 Anchorage, AK $41,200 +5% above national
50 Boise City, ID $41,150 +5% above national
51 Visalia, CA $40,830 +4% above national
52 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $40,700 +4% above national
53 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $40,660 +4% above national
54 Albuquerque, NM $40,640 +3% above national
55 Tucson, AZ $40,620 +3% above national
56 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $40,600 +3% above national
57 Omaha, NE-IA $40,590 +3% above national
58 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $40,520 +3% above national
59 Huntsville, AL $40,300 +3% above national
60 Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area $40,250 +2% above national
61 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $40,230 +2% above national
62 Manchester-Nashua, NH $40,230 +2% above national
63 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $40,220 +2% above national
64 Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $40,200 +2% above national
65 Raleigh-Cary, NC $40,130 +2% above national
66 Bozeman, MT $40,070 +2% above national
67 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $39,990 +2% above national
68 Killeen-Temple, TX $39,890 +2% above national
69 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $39,870 +2% above national
70 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $39,740 +1% above national
71 Cleveland, OH $39,730 +1% above national
72 Columbus, OH $39,680 +1% above national
73 Lincoln, NE $39,650 +1% above national
74 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $39,580 +1% above national
75 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $39,540 +1% above national
76 Rochester, NY $39,520 +1% above national
77 South Illinois nonmetropolitan area $39,520 +1% above national
78 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $39,460 same as national
79 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $39,390 same as national
80 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $39,310 same as national
81 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $39,120 same as national
82 Asheville, NC $39,100 same as national
83 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $39,070 1% below national
84 Kansas City, MO-KS $39,060 1% below national
85 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $39,000 1% below national
86 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $39,000 1% below national
87 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $39,000 1% below national
88 Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $38,900 1% below national
89 Birmingham, AL $38,780 1% below national
90 Bellingham, WA $38,760 1% below national
91 Utica-Rome, NY $38,730 1% below national
92 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $38,630 2% below national
93 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $38,570 2% below national
94 Fort Wayne, IN $38,540 2% below national
95 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $38,530 2% below national
96 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $38,520 2% below national
97 Lancaster, PA $38,480 2% below national
98 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $38,460 2% below national
99 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $38,260 3% below national
100 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $38,180 3% below national
101 Richmond, VA $38,170 3% below national
102 Fargo, ND-MN $38,120 3% below national
103 Columbia, MO $38,110 3% below national
104 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $38,100 3% below national
105 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $38,100 3% below national
106 Cedar Rapids, IA $38,050 3% below national
107 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $38,020 3% below national
108 St. Louis, MO-IL $38,010 3% below national
109 Wilmington, NC $38,000 3% below national
110 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $37,950 3% below national
111 Evansville, IN $37,900 4% below national
112 Stockton-Lodi, CA $37,900 4% below national
113 Lexington-Fayette, KY $37,890 4% below national
114 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $37,870 4% below national
115 Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area $37,870 4% below national
116 Amarillo, TX $37,840 4% below national
117 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $37,840 4% below national
118 Ann Arbor, MI $37,800 4% below national
119 Helena, MT $37,750 4% below national
120 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $37,730 4% below national
121 Akron, OH $37,630 4% below national
122 Oklahoma City, OK $37,620 4% below national
123 Fayetteville, NC $37,550 4% below national
124 Binghamton, NY $37,520 4% below national
125 Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area $37,490 5% below national
126 Billings, MT $37,440 5% below national
127 Lexington Park, MD $37,430 5% below national
128 Montgomery, AL $37,430 5% below national
129 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $37,380 5% below national
130 East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $37,330 5% below national
131 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $37,320 5% below national
132 Bloomington, IL $37,290 5% below national
133 Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area $37,290 5% below national
134 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $37,230 5% below national
135 Green Bay, WI $37,110 6% below national
136 State College, PA $37,100 6% below national
137 Canton-Massillon, OH $37,090 6% below national
138 Tallahassee, FL $37,070 6% below national
139 Urban Honolulu, HI $37,020 6% below national
140 Peoria, IL $36,920 6% below national
141 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $36,900 6% below national
142 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $36,870 6% below national
143 Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area $36,870 6% below national
144 Lynchburg, VA $36,820 6% below national
145 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $36,810 6% below national
146 Fresno, CA $36,690 7% below national
147 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $36,680 7% below national
148 Tulsa, OK $36,680 7% below national
149 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $36,670 7% below national
150 Pittsburgh, PA $36,660 7% below national
151 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $36,630 7% below national
152 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $36,620 7% below national
153 North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $36,580 7% below national
154 Jackson, MS $36,500 7% below national
155 Columbia, SC $36,440 7% below national
156 Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area $36,420 7% below national
157 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $36,400 7% below national
158 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $36,400 7% below national
159 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $36,330 8% below national
160 Winston-Salem, NC $36,320 8% below national
161 Wichita, KS $36,310 8% below national
162 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $36,290 8% below national
163 Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $36,230 8% below national
164 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $36,210 8% below national
165 Toledo, OH $36,100 8% below national
166 Columbus, GA-AL $35,990 8% below national
167 Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $35,880 9% below national
168 Springfield, IL $35,820 9% below national
169 Reading, PA $35,800 9% below national
170 Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $35,780 9% below national
171 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $35,720 9% below national
172 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $35,610 9% below national
173 Jefferson City, MO $35,550 9% below national
174 Rapid City, SD $35,540 10% below national
175 Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $35,530 10% below national
176 Topeka, KS $35,500 10% below national
177 Champaign-Urbana, IL $35,460 10% below national
178 Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area $35,460 10% below national
179 Greensboro-High Point, NC $35,320 10% below national
180 Springfield, MO $35,300 10% below national
181 Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $35,300 10% below national
182 Knoxville, TN $35,280 10% below national
183 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $35,260 10% below national
184 Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $35,260 10% below national
185 West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $35,200 10% below national
186 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $35,070 11% below national
187 Youngstown-Warren, OH $35,030 11% below national
188 Waco, TX $34,960 11% below national
189 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $34,880 11% below national
190 Lubbock, TX $34,800 11% below national
191 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $34,730 12% below national
192 Cheyenne, WY $34,690 12% below national
193 Traverse City, MI $34,670 12% below national
194 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $34,520 12% below national
195 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $34,510 12% below national
196 Roanoke, VA $34,310 13% below national
197 Baton Rouge, LA $34,140 13% below national
198 Appleton, WI $33,900 14% below national
199 Spartanburg, SC $33,870 14% below national
200 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $33,750 14% below national
201 El Paso, TX $33,730 14% below national
202 Chattanooga, TN-GA $33,430 15% below national
203 Savannah, GA $33,200 15% below national
204 Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $32,350 18% below national
205 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $32,140 18% below national
206 West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area $31,750 19% below national
207 South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $31,750 19% below national
208 Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area $31,450 20% below national
209 Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $31,320 20% below national
210 Charleston, WV $31,060 21% below national
211 Logan, UT-ID $30,510 22% below national
212 Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area $30,040 24% below national
213 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $29,990 24% below national
214 South Georgia nonmetropolitan area $29,790 24% below national
215 Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $29,570 25% below national
216 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $29,480 25% below national
217 West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area $28,960 26% below national
218 North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $28,950 26% below national
219 Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $28,580 27% below national
220 Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area $27,500 30% below national
221 Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area $26,020 34% below national
222 Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area $25,960 34% below national
223 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $24,090 39% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 43 (office and administrative support) with comparable pay and career paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service make?
The median annual salary for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service is $39,280 ($18.89/hour). The salary range spans from $30,780 at the 10th percentile to $54,820 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service at $49,240/year, which is +25% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service?
The typical entry-level education for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service?
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1 per 100 workers.
Is Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service a good career?
Employment for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service is projected to decline 6.6% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 6,900 openings are projected each year.
How does Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service pay vary by state?
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $49,240/year, while West Virginia pays the least at $35,140/year. BLS data covers 51 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service?
The highest-paying metro area for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service is Springfield, MA at $51,490/year. BLS reports wage data for 223 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $46,450/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $49,240/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.