Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service (SOC 43-9051) earn a median $39,280 a year ($18.89 an hour) in the United States, with 55,230 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service do
Mail clerks and mail machine operators outside the Postal Service prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. For incoming mail they time-stamp, open, read, sort, and route items, collecting and moving them by cart as needed, and they receive containers of mail or parcels from big mailers, couriers, and contractors and check them. For outgoing mail they address, seal, stamp, fold, stuff, and affix postage to letters and packages, either by hand or with machines such as postage meters. They verify that items are addressed correctly, carry the proper postage, and are in suitable condition for processing, and they wrap packages or bundles by hand or with tying machines. They decide how an item should be sent and prepare it for delivery to mailing facilities, and they may keep records and completed forms. Alternate titles include addressing machine operator, direct mail clerk, and envelope sealer operator. Postal Service workers who handle mail inside the postal system fall outside this group.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Addressing Machine Operator, Addressograph Operator, Advertising Inserter, Canceling Machine Operator, Dead Mail Checker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.80 | $17.05 | $18.89 | $22.33 | $26.36 | $20.03 | 55,230 |
| Annual | $30,780 | $35,470 | $39,280 | $46,450 | $54,820 | $41,650 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $19.15 | $20.08 | $23.68 | $29.30 | $34.73 | $25.39 | 310 | 0.44 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $39,820 | $41,760 | $49,240 | $60,940 | $72,230 | $52,800 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $17.60 | $20.35 | $23.49 | $27.20 | $31.45 | $24.36 | 1,050 | 0.29 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $36,600 | $42,330 | $48,860 | $56,570 | $65,420 | $50,660 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.91 | $19.74 | $22.30 | $26.84 | $29.57 | $23.14 | 1,360 | 0.38 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $37,260 | $41,060 | $46,380 | $55,820 | $61,510 | $48,130 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $17.99 | $18.66 | $21.82 | $22.68 | $26.36 | $21.40 | 120 | 0.39 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $37,430 | $38,800 | $45,380 | $47,160 | $54,840 | $44,510 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $16.92 | $18.03 | $21.71 | $23.95 | $26.36 | $21.29 | 460 | 0.27 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $35,180 | $37,500 | $45,150 | $49,820 | $54,820 | $44,290 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.69 | $17.35 | $20.20 | $23.47 | $27.64 | $21.17 | 5,990 | 0.62 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $34,700 | $36,090 | $42,020 | $48,820 | $57,480 | $44,030 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.36 | $18.60 | $21.35 | $25.12 | $30.36 | $22.74 | 4,710 | 0.26 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $36,110 | $38,680 | $44,410 | $52,240 | $63,150 | $47,290 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.28 | $16.07 | $18.49 | $21.57 | $23.70 | $18.74 | 3,250 | 0.23 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $27,630 | $33,420 | $38,470 | $44,870 | $49,290 | $38,980 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.02 | $17.04 | $18.36 | $21.89 | $24.35 | $19.58 | 3,150 | 0.52 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $31,230 | $35,440 | $38,190 | $45,530 | $50,640 | $40,720 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $13.96 | $16.36 | $18.26 | $21.85 | $24.30 | $18.97 | 2,810 | 0.46 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $29,050 | $34,020 | $37,980 | $45,450 | $50,540 | $39,450 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Springfield, MA | Hourly | $18.84 | $20.98 | $24.75 | $24.99 | $28.50 | $23.79 | 60 | 0.29 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $39,190 | $43,640 | $51,490 | $51,990 | $59,280 | $49,470 | ||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $17.38 | $19.96 | $23.81 | $24.87 | $30.68 | $23.13 | 170 | 0.72 | 2.03 |
| Annual | $36,160 | $41,530 | $49,520 | $51,740 | $63,800 | $48,100 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $19.62 | $21.50 | $23.69 | $27.62 | $29.57 | $24.50 | 910 | 0.44 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $40,810 | $44,720 | $49,270 | $57,460 | $61,510 | $50,970 | ||||
| Duluth, MN-WI | Hourly | $16.89 | $18.91 | $23.28 | $27.17 | $29.74 | $23.35 | 30 | 0.26 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $35,140 | $39,320 | $48,430 | $56,510 | $61,860 | $48,560 | ||||
| Salem, OR | Hourly | $14.80 | $16.74 | $23.28 | $25.52 | $26.76 | $21.72 | 70 | 0.35 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $30,780 | $34,830 | $48,420 | $53,090 | $55,660 | $45,190 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.69 | $18.00 | $21.26 | $24.43 | $29.04 | $22.10 | 5,150 | 0.54 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $34,720 | $37,440 | $44,220 | $50,810 | $60,400 | $45,970 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $16.63 | $17.21 | $18.54 | $22.18 | $24.54 | $19.91 | 2,380 | 0.53 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $34,580 | $35,790 | $38,570 | $46,130 | $51,040 | $41,400 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $15.94 | $17.30 | $18.52 | $21.68 | $25.34 | $19.68 | 1,820 | 0.63 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $33,150 | $35,990 | $38,520 | $45,100 | $52,710 | $40,940 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.53 | $18.56 | $20.93 | $23.68 | $29.19 | $22.08 | 1,800 | 0.29 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $36,470 | $38,610 | $43,540 | $49,260 | $60,710 | $45,930 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $15.38 | $17.71 | $20.08 | $23.60 | $29.34 | $21.39 | 1,540 | 0.49 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $31,990 | $36,840 | $41,760 | $49,080 | $61,020 | $44,500 | ||||
Top industries employing mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
Business Support Services employ 22.0% of mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service nationally (12,140 jobs) at a median $36,900 a year ($17.74 an hour), followed by Printing and Related Support Activities (8.0%) and Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (7.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Support Services NAICS 561400 | 12,140 | 22.0% | $36,900 | $17.74 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities NAICS 323100 | 4,430 | 8.0% | $40,340 | $19.40 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services NAICS 541800 | 4,350 | 7.9% | $37,050 | $17.81 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 3,190 | 5.8% | $39,450 | $18.97 |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers NAICS 513100 | 2,810 | 5.1% | $32,350 | $15.55 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (55,230). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $32,550 for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service in May 2021 and $39,280 in May 2025, with employment of 69,400 and 55,230.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $32,550 | $15.65 | 69,400 |
| May 2022 | $35,070 | $16.86 | 67,750 |
| May 2023 | $36,880 | $17.73 | 66,600 |
| May 2024 | $38,150 | $18.34 | 62,730 |
| May 2025 | $39,280 | $18.89 | 55,230 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $23.68 | $49,240 | $39,820 | $72,230 | 310 | 0.44 | 1.25 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | $23.49 | $48,860 | $36,600 | $65,420 | 1,050 | 0.29 | 0.81 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $22.30 | $46,380 | $37,260 | $61,510 | 1,360 | 0.38 | 1.08 |
| 4 | Vermont profile | $21.82 | $45,380 | $37,430 | $54,840 | 120 | 0.39 | 1.09 |
| 5 | Utah profile | $21.71 | $45,150 | $35,180 | $54,820 | 460 | 0.27 | 0.75 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $21.56 | $44,840 | $35,460 | $55,040 | 1,170 | 0.40 | 1.11 |
| 7 | Maine profile | $21.53 | $44,780 | $37,490 | $49,840 | 160 | 0.26 | 0.72 |
| 8 | California profile | $21.35 | $44,410 | $36,110 | $63,150 | 4,710 | 0.26 | 0.73 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $21.14 | $43,970 | $36,910 | $55,450 | 680 | 0.40 | 1.12 |
| 10 | New Jersey profile | $21.01 | $43,700 | $37,040 | $61,510 | 2,210 | 0.52 | 1.45 |
| 11 | Oregon profile | $20.89 | $43,450 | $33,500 | $53,580 | 370 | 0.19 | 0.53 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $20.88 | $43,430 | $32,120 | $58,240 | 880 | 0.31 | 0.86 |
| 13 | New York profile | $20.20 | $42,020 | $34,700 | $57,480 | 5,990 | 0.62 | 1.74 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $19.74 | $41,060 | $31,450 | $56,480 | 280 | 0.41 | 1.15 |
| 15 | Nevada profile | $19.48 | $40,520 | $28,490 | $52,710 | 420 | 0.27 | 0.77 |
| 16 | Maryland profile | $19.37 | $40,280 | $32,280 | $53,850 | 1,580 | 0.57 | 1.61 |
| 17 | Nebraska profile | $19.27 | $40,080 | $29,460 | $48,560 | 240 | 0.24 | 0.66 |
| 18 | New Mexico profile | $19.27 | $40,080 | $33,340 | $48,370 | 100 | 0.11 | 0.32 |
| 19 | Idaho profile | $19.18 | $39,890 | $30,360 | $46,340 | 110 | 0.13 | 0.36 |
| 20 | Florida profile | $18.89 | $39,300 | $31,420 | $62,720 | 2,470 | 0.25 | 0.70 |
| 21 | Montana profile | $18.69 | $38,880 | $31,200 | $46,110 | 180 | 0.36 | 1.01 |
| 22 | Indiana profile | $18.50 | $38,490 | $28,900 | $49,960 | 1,310 | 0.41 | 1.16 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $18.50 | $38,470 | $29,250 | $49,130 | 2,210 | 0.40 | 1.12 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $18.49 | $38,470 | $27,630 | $49,290 | 3,250 | 0.23 | 0.65 |
| 25 | Rhode Island profile | $18.43 | $38,330 | $36,090 | $49,750 | 310 | 0.62 | 1.74 |
| 26 | Hawaii profile | $18.40 | $38,270 | $34,090 | $50,520 | 200 | 0.31 | 0.88 |
| 27 | Arizona profile | $18.40 | $38,260 | $32,550 | $47,190 | 810 | 0.25 | 0.70 |
| 28 | Illinois profile | $18.36 | $38,190 | $31,230 | $50,640 | 3,150 | 0.52 | 1.46 |
| 29 | North Dakota profile | $18.33 | $38,120 | $35,300 | $46,860 | 110 | 0.25 | 0.71 |
| 30 | Missouri profile | $18.32 | $38,110 | $31,770 | $48,050 | 1,140 | 0.39 | 1.10 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania profile | $18.26 | $37,980 | $29,050 | $50,540 | 2,810 | 0.46 | 1.31 |
| 32 | Arkansas profile | $18.24 | $37,940 | $25,710 | $46,470 | 330 | 0.25 | 0.71 |
| 33 | Kentucky profile | $18.21 | $37,890 | $27,420 | $47,370 | 530 | 0.27 | 0.75 |
| 34 | North Carolina profile | $18.19 | $37,830 | $28,420 | $47,570 | 1,280 | 0.26 | 0.73 |
| 35 | Wisconsin profile | $18.14 | $37,730 | $27,310 | $49,850 | 1,310 | 0.45 | 1.25 |
| 36 | South Dakota profile | $18.07 | $37,580 | $30,530 | $47,820 | 320 | 0.70 | 1.97 |
| 37 | Michigan profile | $17.74 | $36,900 | $30,080 | $48,530 | 1,660 | 0.38 | 1.06 |
| 38 | South Carolina profile | $17.68 | $36,780 | $31,630 | $51,540 | 580 | 0.25 | 0.71 |
| 39 | Virginia profile | $17.69 | $36,780 | $27,140 | $53,250 | 1,610 | 0.39 | 1.10 |
| 40 | Oklahoma profile | $17.63 | $36,680 | $23,290 | $52,000 | 810 | 0.47 | 1.34 |
| 41 | Delaware profile | $17.52 | $36,450 | $31,750 | $46,340 | 630 | 1.31 | 3.68 |
| 42 | Alabama profile | $17.40 | $36,190 | $24,470 | $47,380 | 470 | 0.22 | 0.63 |
| 43 | Georgia profile | $17.36 | $36,110 | $28,390 | $48,720 | 1,850 | 0.38 | 1.06 |
| 44 | Kansas profile | $17.32 | $36,020 | $28,540 | $45,380 | 750 | 0.52 | 1.47 |
| 45 | Iowa profile | $17.12 | $35,610 | $26,100 | $46,840 | 830 | 0.53 | 1.50 |
| 46 | Tennessee profile | $17.12 | $35,610 | $25,370 | $45,430 | 760 | 0.23 | 0.65 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $16.89 | $35,140 | $21,390 | $50,480 | 270 | 0.38 | 1.07 |
| 48 | Louisiana profile | $16.76 | $34,860 | $26,540 | $44,350 | 590 | 0.31 | 0.86 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $16.52 | $34,350 | $21,690 | $45,660 | 270 | 0.23 | 0.65 |
| 50 | Wyoming profile | $15.84 | $32,940 | $19,280 | $44,520 | 90 | 0.34 | 0.95 |
| – | Alaska profile | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.41 | 1.14 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-9051 Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-9051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-9051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.