Office & Administrative Support
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Also called: Insert Operator, Inserter Operator, Mail Clerk, Mail Handler
US median pay
$39,280
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-7.2%
declining
Openings a year (US)
4,700
57,800 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- Lift and unload containers of mail or parcels onto equipment for transportation to sortation stations.
- Verify that items are addressed correctly, marked with the proper postage, and in suitable condition for processing.
- Clear jams in sortation equipment.
- Place incoming or outgoing letters or packages into sacks or bins based on destination or type, and place identifying tags on sacks or bins.
- Release packages or letters to customers upon presentation of written notices or other identification.
- Remove containers of sorted mail or parcels and transfer them to designated areas according to established procedures.
- Determine manner in which mail is to be sent, and prepare it for delivery to mailing facilities.
- Sort and route incoming mail, and collect outgoing mail, using carts as necessary.
- Weigh packages or letters to determine postage needed, using weighing scales and rate charts.
- Fold letters or circulars and insert them in envelopes.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Time Management3.0/5
- Operations Monitoring2.9/5
- Operation and Control2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Coordination2.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.8/5
- Service Orientation2.6/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.4/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- English Language3.4/5
- Mathematics3.0/5
- Law and Government2.5/5
- Education and Training2.5/5
- Administrative2.5/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma48%
- Less than high school45%
Who this job suits
Mostly Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.