Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Business, Management and AdministrationO*NET 43-9051.00United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $39,291
- Projected change
- −3.7%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 59.17K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
93.8% of the workforce
Growing to 56.97K by 2035
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The work
What mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Wrap packages or bundles by hand, or by using tying machines.
- Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing.
- 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.
- 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.
- Accept and check containers of mail or parcels from large volume mailers, couriers, and contractors.
- Seal or open envelopes, by hand or by using machines.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $30,784
- 25th percentile
- $35,464
- 50th percentile
- $39,291
- 75th percentile
- $46,446
- 90th percentile
- $54,829
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $39,291 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
−3.7%projected to decline
202559,170 jobs
2035 projected56,968 jobs
2,202 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 93.8%
- Associate degree
- 6.2%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Mail Clerks498 postings
- 02Mail Services Associates216 postings
- 03Mail Room Clerks210 postings
- 04PSE Mail Processing Clerks189 postings
- 05Mail Processing Clerks65 postings
- 06Mail Services Clerks46 postings
- 07Mail Associates33 postings
- 08Financial Services Representatives32 postings
- 09Processing Associates12 postings
- 10Distribution Clerks10 postings
- 11Center Associates8 postings
- 12Mailroom Clerks7 postings
- 13Client Experience Associates6 postings
- 14Field Office Clerks6 postings
- 15Retail Support Associates6 postings
- 16Scanning Clerks6 postings
- 17Bilingual Clerks5 postings
- 18Circulation Clerks5 postings
- 19Printing Associates5 postings
- 20Assistant Dc Managers4 postings
Top employers
- 01United States Postal Service192 postings
- 02Millennium Group124 postings
- 03AppleOne47 postings
- 04Robert Half36 postings
- 05CBRE34 postings
- 06Randstad34 postings
- 07ManpowerGroup28 postings
- 08IST Management Services22 postings
- 09Sciolex Corporation20 postings
- 10Adecco18 postings
- 11Aston Carter17 postings
- 12TEKsystems13 postings
- 13Kelly Services10 postings
- 14Administrative Resource Options9 postings
- 15Telesolv Consulting9 postings
- 16Compunnel Software Group8 postings
- 17Genesis108 postings
- 18JLL8 postings
- 19Shamrock Environmental Corporation8 postings
- 20XBP Global8 postings
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