What Does it Take to Be a Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator?

Position Description Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. Use hand or mail handling machines to 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.

What Do Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators Do On a Daily Basis?

• Wrap packages or bundles by hand, or by using tying machines.
• Adjust guides, rollers, loose card inserters, weighing machines, and tying arms, using rules and hand tools.
• Read production orders to determine types and sizes of items scheduled for printing and mailing.
• Contact delivery or courier services to arrange delivery of letters and parcels.
• Lift and unload containers of mail or parcels onto equipment for transportation to sortation stations.
• Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures.

What a Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator Should Know

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

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.

Types of Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator

• Wing Mailer Machine Operator
• Wrong Address Clerk
• Slot Tag Inserter
• Mailing Clerk
• Insert Operator

Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator Job Outlook

In the United States, there were 95,500 jobs for Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator. There will be an estimated 9,400 positions for Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator per year.

The states with the most job growth for Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator are Utah, Nevada, and Alaska. Watch out if you plan on working in Colorado, Wyoming, or West Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator

The salary for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators ranges between about $20,510 and $46,760 a year.

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators who work in District of Columbia, Alaska, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.

How much do Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators make in different U.S. states?

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$29,900
Alaska	$41,210
Arizona	$29,900
Arkansas	$29,120
California	$34,030
Colorado	$33,590
Connecticut	$34,360
Delaware	$31,970
District of Columbia	$47,050
Florida	$28,830
Georgia	$28,980
Hawaii	$37,080
Idaho	$31,440
Illinois	$29,610
Indiana	$31,850
Iowa	$30,130
Kansas	$28,870
Kentucky	$30,140
Louisiana	$27,910
Maine	$30,780
Maryland	$34,130
Massachusetts	$37,140
Michigan	$32,860
Minnesota	$32,460
Mississippi	$25,600
Missouri	$31,520
Montana	$27,280
Nebraska	$30,830
Nevada	$31,520
New Hampshire	$34,260
New Jersey	$33,930
New Mexico	$32,080
New York	$36,150
North Carolina	$29,530
North Dakota	$30,110
Ohio	$31,570
Oklahoma	$28,150
Oregon	$33,210
Pennsylvania	$31,500
Rhode Island	$37,100
South Carolina	$29,950
South Dakota	$27,250
Tennessee	$28,790
Texas	$30,370
Utah	$30,500
Vermont	$35,160
Virginia	$30,620
Washington	$36,260
West Virginia	$27,760
Wisconsin	$31,760
Wyoming	$25,430

What Tools & Technology do Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Outlook
• Web browser software
• Microsoft Access
• Email software
• Financial accounting software
• Recordkeeping software

Becoming a Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator

What education or degrees do I need to become a Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator?

Where do Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators Work?

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…

Those interested in being a Mail Clerk or Mail Machine Operator may also be interested in:

• Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

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More about our data sources and methodologies.