Careers / Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$39,280
United States, 2025
Employment
55,230
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 43-9051.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Add ink, fill paste reservoirs, and change machine ribbons when necessary.
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$30,780
25th percentile
$35,470
75th percentile
$46,450
90th percentile
$54,820
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Operations Monitoring2.9
- Operation and Control2.9
- Writing2.9
- Coordination2.9
- Active Listening2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 5 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
5
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 2.6 | Not selected | 2.6 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.6 | Not selected | 2.6 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
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Compare with Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, MA | $51,490 | 60 | 2025 |
| Trenton, NJ | $49,520 | 170 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $49,270 | 910 | 2025 |
| DC | $49,240 | 310 | 2025 |
| MA | $48,860 | 1,050 | 2025 |
| Duluth, MN | $48,430 | 30 | 2025 |
| Salem, OR | $48,420 | 70 | 2025 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $48,120 | 310 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $48,050 | 330 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $47,500 | 820 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $47,430 | 620 | 2025 |
| Mankato, MN | $47,050 | 40 | 2025 |
| Provo, UT | $47,050 | 60 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $46,930 | 370 | 2025 |
| WA | $46,380 | 1,360 | 2025 |
| Worcester, MA | $46,290 | 80 | 2025 |
| Reno, NV | $46,230 | 40 | 2025 |
| New Haven, CT | $45,710 | 80 | 2025 |
| York, PA | $45,390 | 80 | 2025 |
| VT | $45,380 | 120 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.