What Does a Mail Clerk Do? Duties, Pay & Outlook

What does a mail clerk do?

Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service, prepare incoming and outgoing mail and run mail machines for distribution. The median pay is $39,280 per year (BLS, May 2025), most people train for about A few weeks on the job, and employment is projected to grow -7.2% from 2025–35.

Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026

Median pay
$39,280
$18.89/hour · May 2025
Job growth
-7.2%
2025–35, a projected decline
Openings per year
4,700
Average, 2025–35
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
BLS classification
Time to train
A few weeks on the job
Typical program length
U.S. jobs
57,800
Employment, 2025

What mail clerks do

Mail clerks keep mail moving inside organizations. They sort incoming mail and packages, deliver to departments, run postage meters and folding and inserting machines, prepare bulk mailings and track packages.

A high school diploma and short training are typical. BLS projects a decline as mail volume falls.

Typical duties

Sort incoming mail
Deliver mail and packages
Run postage meters
Operate folding and inserting machines
Prepare bulk mailings
Track packages
Screen suspicious mail

Work environment and schedule

Mail clerks work in mailrooms of companies, hospitals, universities and print shops.

Schedule: Full-time daytime hours.

A day in the life

7:30 AMReceive the USPS delivery.
8:00 AMSort mail by department.
9:30 AMDeliver the morning route.
11:00 AMRun an inserting machine.

See a full day in the life of a mail clerk →

Mail Clerk salary

Half of mail clerks earned more than $39,280 and half earned less in May 2025. Pay ranged from about $30,780 for the lowest 10% to $54,820 for the top 10%.

$30,78010th$39,280Median$54,82090th

Full mail clerk pay scale and hourly rates →

How to become a mail clerk

Finish high school
Apply to a mailroom
Learn machines
Learn routes
Advance

A high school diploma and short-term on-the-job training are typical.

Step-by-step guide to becoming a mail clerk →

Skills and tools

Technical skills

Mail sorting
Postage meters
Inserting machines
Package tracking
Bulk mail rules

People skills

Reliability
Organization
Accuracy
Courtesy

All mail clerk skills and tools →

Pros and cons

Pros

Short training
Active work
Regular hours
Clear tasks

Cons

Declining employment
Lifting
Repetitive
Low pay

Certifications and licenses

USPS bulk mail training: Helpful.
Mailpiece Design Professional: USPS credential.
Forklift certification: Helpful for large mailrooms.
Safety training: Employer.

Career path

Mail Clerk: Entry.
Mailroom Lead: Lead shift.
Mail Services Supervisor: Lead team.
Mail Services Manager: Run mail operations.

Learn the job before day one

Our Mail Clerk training (8 hours, $74.99) covers the role, 15+ key terms, step-by-step procedures such as sort incoming mail fast and set up an inserting machine job, safety and how to land your first job.

View Mail Clerk training Is this career right for me?

Postal Clerk

Serve customers at the post office counter and sort mail.

$62,130
A few weeks of training

Shipping and Receiving Clerk

Track what comes in and goes out of warehouses, stores and plants.

$45,260
1–4 weeks

Office Clerk

Handle the everyday tasks that keep an office running.

$45,010
A few weeks on the job

Office Machine Operator

Run copiers, printers and binding machines for offices and print centers.

$40,960
A few weeks on the job

Compare: Mail Clerk vs. Postal Clerk · Mail Clerk vs. Shipping Clerk · Mail Clerk vs. Office Clerk · Mail Clerk vs. Office Machine Operator

Mail Clerk FAQ

Is the job declining?

BLS projects decline as mail volume falls.

Do mail clerks need a degree?

No.

Is lifting required?

Usually, yes.

How much does a mail clerk make?

The median annual wage for mail clerks was $39,280 ($18.89 per hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10% earned less than $30,780 and the highest 10% earned more than $54,820.

How long does it take to become a mail clerk?

Most people need about A few weeks on the job of training. A high school diploma and short-term on-the-job training are typical.

Do you need a degree to be a mail clerk?

No four-year degree is typically required. BLS lists “high school diploma or equivalent” as the typical entry-level education, plus short-term on-the-job training.

Sources

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, SOC 43-9051 (Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025–35).
O*NET OnLine summary for Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service (U.S. Department of Labor).
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Reviewed by the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team. Pay figures are national estimates; local pay varies. See our editorial policy.

Mail Clerk