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Salary comparison

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service vs. Office Clerks, General: Who Earns More?

Office Clerks, Generals out-earn Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services by $6K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services land at $39,280 and Office Clerks, Generals at $45,010. The education gap is real: mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while office clerks, general programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services is District of Columbia ($49,240); for Office Clerks, Generals it's District of Columbia ($55,040).

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Office Clerks, General
Median salary
$39,280
$45,010
Hourly rate
$18.89/hr
$21.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$30,780
$30,310
Senior level (90th %)
$54,820
$64,680
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
55,230
2,464,940
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Office & Admin
Office & Admin
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service median pay.

State
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
Office Clerks, General
District of Columbia
$49,240
$55,040
Massachusetts
$48,860
$49,940
Washington
$46,380
$50,500
Vermont
$45,380
$48,310
Minnesota
$44,840
$47,840
California
$44,410
$48,460
Connecticut
$43,970
$48,280
New Jersey
$43,700
$48,570
Oregon
$43,450
$49,910
Colorado
$43,430
$53,550
New Hampshire
$41,060
$49,020
Maryland
$40,280
$47,270
Montana
$38,880
$46,480
Rhode Island
$38,330
$47,830
North Dakota
$38,120
$50,160

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services or Office Clerks, Generals?

Office Clerks, Generals earn more nationally. The median is $39,280 for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services versus $45,010 for Office Clerks, Generals, a difference of $6K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service or Office Clerks, General?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service or Office Clerks, General?

Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Office Clerks, General requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services at $49,240/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service vs. Office Clerks, General pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services earn $49,240 vs. $55,040 for Office Clerks, Generals. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service salary breakdownView →Full Office Clerks, General salary breakdownView →Best cities for Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Services by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Office Clerks, Generals by take-home payExplore →How to become a mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal serviceGuide →How to become a office clerks, generalGuide →