Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service in the U.S. is $39,280 ($18.89 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $39,280
- Mean annual wage
- $41,650
- Median hourly wage
- $18.89
- Employment
- 55,230
55,230 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,780 | $14.80 |
| 25th percentile | $35,470 | $17.05 |
| Median (50th) | $39,280 | $18.89 |
| 75th percentile | $46,450 | $22.33 |
| 90th percentile | $54,820 | $26.36 |
Highest-paying states for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $49,240 | 310 |
| Massachusetts | $48,860 | 1,050 |
| Washington | $46,380 | 1,360 |
| Vermont | $45,380 | 120 |
| Utah | $45,150 | 460 |
| Minnesota | $44,840 | 1,170 |
| Maine | $44,780 | 160 |
| California | $44,410 | 4,710 |
| Connecticut | $43,970 | 680 |
| New Jersey | $43,700 | 2,210 |
Lowest-paying states
- Wyoming: $32,940 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $34,350 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $34,860 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $35,140 median annual wage
- Tennessee: $35,610 median annual wage
About this occupation
Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. Time-stamp, open, read, sort, and route incoming mail; and address, seal, stamp, fold, stuff, and affix postage to outgoing mail or packages. Duties may also include keeping necessary records and completed forms.
Typical tasks
- Mail merchandise samples or promotional literature in response to requests.
- Remove from machines printed materials, such as labeled articles, postmarked envelopes or tape, and folded sheets.
- Add ink, fill paste reservoirs, and change machine ribbons when necessary.
- Sell mail products, and accept payment for products and mailing charges.
- Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing.
- Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 8.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 35.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 25.7% |
| Associate's degree | 13.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.6% |
| Master's degree | 2.1% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.1% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$50,670
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$45,930
- Receptionists and Information Clerks$38,010
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,260
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.