Business & Finance
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
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.
Median salary (BLS)
$39,280
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$31k – $55k
Job outlook
No separate BLS projection for this specific role
AI exposure
Plan a path to Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateCost to qualify
$500–$3,150
Time to qualify
1 yr
Renewal
—
- 1
High school diploma or GED
CourseExpected by most employers; if you need the GED, test fees run $0–$150 depending on the state.
$0–$150 · 3 months · varies by state source
- 2
On-the-job training
ExperienceEmployer-provided and typically paid — days to a few months for most no-degree roles.
Cost varies · 3 months source
- 3
Industry certification (optional for many roles)
CertificationRole-dependent — e.g. CPA, Series 7/65, PMP, SHRM. Not always required, but often expected for advancement.
$500–$3,000 · 6 months source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Junior Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Entry / Junior
$30,780
~2 yrs to advance
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Established
$39,280
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Senior
$47,050
Key skills
A typical day
- •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.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Business & Finance
Explore all- University of Pennsylvania6% admit · $112,000 grad pay
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology4% admit · $124,000 grad pay
- Harvard University4% admit · $119,000 grad pay
- University of California, Berkeley11% admit · $97,000 grad pay
- New York University12% admit · $84,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.