All careers › Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Mail clerk: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $30,780lowest 10% earn less
- $35,47025th percentile
- $39,280median
- $46,45075th percentile
- $54,820top 10% earn more
A mail clerk job asks for a high school diploma and short on-the-job training[1]. Median pay was $39,280 a year, and employment is projected to fall 7.2% from 2025 to 2035[2][3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- -7.2%[3]
- Openings per year
- 4,700[6]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[1]
How much do mail clerks make?
BLS counts this job as Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service. In May 2025 the median wage was $39,280 a year, or $18.89 an hour[2]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[2]. The average (mean) wage was $41,650 a year, or $20.03 an hour[7].
For all occupations in the US, the median annual wage was $50,980[5]. So the typical mail clerk wage sits below that national figure.
Here is the range from the 10th to the 90th percentile:
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th[4][8] | $30,780 | $14.80 |
| 25th[4][8] | $35,470 | $17.05 |
| 75th[4][8] | $46,450 | $22.33 |
| 90th[4][8] | $54,820 | $26.36 |
A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $30,780, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $54,820[4][9]. BLS does not publish a starting salary for this job[9].
These wages cover full-time and part-time workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].
Pay by state and city
The District of Columbia had the highest median annual wage at $49,240, followed by Massachusetts at $48,860 and Washington at $46,380[11]. Wyoming was last in the list at $32,940[11].
New York had the most jobs at 5,990, then California at 4,710, Texas at 3,250, Illinois at 3,150 and Pennsylvania at 2,810[12].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Trenton-Princeton, NJ had the highest median at $49,520, followed by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $49,270 and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT at $48,120[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 5,150, with a median of $44,220[14].
Show median pay in 49 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia[11] | $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 |
| Oregon | $43,450 | 370 |
| Colorado | $43,430 | 880 |
| New York | $42,020 | 5,990 |
| New Hampshire | $41,060 | 280 |
| Nevada | $40,520 | 420 |
| Maryland | $40,280 | 1,580 |
| Nebraska | $40,080 | 240 |
| New Mexico | $40,080 | 100 |
| Idaho | $39,890 | 110 |
| Florida | $39,300 | 2,470 |
| Montana | $38,880 | 180 |
| Indiana | $38,490 | 1,310 |
| Ohio | $38,470 | 2,210 |
| Texas | $38,470 | 3,250 |
| Rhode Island | $38,330 | 310 |
| Hawaii | $38,270 | 200 |
| Arizona | $38,260 | 810 |
| Illinois | $38,190 | 3,150 |
| North Dakota | $38,120 | 110 |
| Missouri | $38,110 | 1,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,980 | 2,810 |
| Arkansas | $37,940 | 330 |
| Kentucky | $37,890 | 530 |
| North Carolina | $37,830 | 1,280 |
| Wisconsin | $37,730 | 1,310 |
| South Dakota | $37,580 | 320 |
| Michigan | $36,900 | 1,660 |
| South Carolina | $36,780 | 580 |
| Virginia | $36,780 | 1,610 |
| Oklahoma | $36,680 | 810 |
| Delaware | $36,450 | 630 |
| Alabama | $36,190 | 470 |
| Georgia | $36,110 | 1,850 |
| Kansas | $36,020 | 750 |
| Iowa | $35,610 | 830 |
| Tennessee | $35,610 | 760 |
| West Virginia | $35,140 | 270 |
| Louisiana | $34,860 | 590 |
| Mississippi | $34,350 | 270 |
| Wyoming | $32,940 | 90 |
How to become a mail clerk
The path is short, according to BLS:
- First: finish high school or earn an equivalent diploma[1].
- Next: no work experience in a related job is typically needed[1].
- Then: learn the job through short-term on-the-job training[1].
O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, meaning very little to some preparation is needed[15]. Our facts do not say how long the training lasts.
What mail clerks do
Mail clerks and mail machine operators prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution[16]. Common tasks reported to O*NET include:
- Lifting and unloading containers of mail or parcels onto equipment[17].
- Checking that items are addressed correctly, have the right postage and are in good shape[17].
- Clearing jams in sorting equipment[17].
- Putting letters and packages into sacks or bins by destination and tagging them[17].
- Handing packages or letters to customers who show a notice or identification[17].
- Weighing items and using rate charts to work out postage[17].
- Sorting and routing incoming mail with carts[17].
- Folding letters and putting them in envelopes[17].
Workers report job titles such as mail clerk, mail sorter, mail handler and inserter operator[18].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to fall 7.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 57,800 to 53,600 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[19]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, so they differ from the 55,230 wage and salary jobs counted in May 2025[20][3].
BLS names machines with programmable software as one factor. Mail tasks are also moving online, and organizations are expected to use less administrative staff for mail[21].
Even so, BLS projects about 4,700 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[6]. Openings come from workers who leave the job, not only from new positions[6]. Each year, 4.3% of workers leave the labor force and 5% move to a different occupation[22].
Is it a good fit?
The job has a low barrier to entry, with a high school diploma, no related experience and short on-the-job training[1]. Pay is below the all-occupations median, at $39,280 against $50,980[2][5]. Employment is projected to shrink[3]. Openings still appear each year as people leave or switch jobs[6][22]. Weigh these facts against your own situation and the local pay shown above.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a mail clerk make an hour?
- The median wage was $18.89 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $20.03[2][7]. The 10th percentile was $14.80 and the 90th was $26.36[8].
- What education do you need to be a mail clerk?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and short-term on-the-job training[1].
- Is mail clerk work in demand?
- Employment is projected to decline 7.2% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations grow 3.5%[3][19]. About 4,700 openings a year are still projected[6].
- What is the highest paying state for mail clerks?
- The District of Columbia had the highest median annual wage at $49,240, followed by Massachusetts at $48,860[11].
Facts and sources
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service in the US was $39,280 per year and $18.89 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service is projected to decline 7.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 57,800 to 53,600 jobs (a change of -4,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service: 10th percentile $30,780, 25th percentile $35,470, 75th percentile $46,450, 90th percentile $54,820. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 4,700 openings for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service was $41,650 per year and $20.03 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service: 10th percentile $14.80, 25th percentile $17.05, 75th percentile $22.33, 90th percentile $26.36. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service jobs: New York 5,990; California 4,710; Texas 3,250; Illinois 3,150; Pennsylvania 2,810. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service (areas with at least 100 jobs): Trenton-Princeton, NJ $49,520; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $49,270; Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $48,120; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $48,050; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $47,500; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $47,430; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $46,930; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $44,840. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 5,150 (median $44,220); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,380 (median $38,570); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,820 (median $38,520); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,800 (median $43,540); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,540 (median $41,760); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,360 (median $38,100). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 43-9051.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 43-9051.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Insert Operator, Inserter Operator, Mail Clerk, Mail Handler, Mail Machine Operator, Mail Processor, Mail Sorter, Mailing Equipment Operator. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 55,230 people were employed as Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service: Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as companies use machines with programmable software that continues to supplant some office mailing tasks. Correspondence and communication will increasingly be done online and organizations will utilize less administrative staff to handle incoming and outgoing mail. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service: 4.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.