Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service Salary
The median pay for a mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $38,570/year ($18.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $37,233 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 67.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 68.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $36K | $39K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $35K | $38K |
| Peoria | $37K | $40K |
| Bloomington | $37K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $49K | +25% | 310 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | +24% | 1,050 |
| Washington | $46K | +18% | 1,360 |
| Vermont | $45K | +16% | 120 |
| Utah | $45K | +15% | 460 |
| Minnesota | $45K | +14% | 1,170 |
| Maine | $45K | +14% | 160 |
| California | $44K | +13% | 4,710 |
| Connecticut | $44K | +12% | 680 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +11% | 2,210 |
| Oregon | $43K | +11% | 370 |
| Colorado | $43K | +11% | 880 |
| New York | $42K | +7% | 5,990 |
| New Hampshire | $41K | +5% | 280 |
| Nevada | $41K | +3% | 420 |
| Maryland | $40K | +3% | 1,580 |
| New Mexico | $40K | +2% | 100 |
| Nebraska | $40K | +2% | 240 |
| Idaho | $40K | +2% | 110 |
| Florida | $39K | +0% | 2,470 |
| Montana | $39K | -1% | 180 |
| Indiana | $38K | -2% | 1,310 |
| Ohio | $38K | -2% | 2,210 |
| Texas | $38K | -2% | 3,250 |
| Rhode Island | $38K | -2% | 310 |
| Hawaii | $38K | -3% | 200 |
| Arizona | $38K | -3% | 810 |
| Illinois | $38K | -3% | 3,150 |
| North Dakota | $38K | -3% | 110 |
| Missouri | $38K | -3% | 1,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $38K | -3% | 2,810 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -3% | 330 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -4% | 530 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -4% | 1,280 |
| Wisconsin | $38K | -4% | 1,310 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -4% | 320 |
| Michigan | $37K | -6% | 1,660 |
| Virginia | $37K | -6% | 1,610 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -6% | 580 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -7% | 810 |
| Delaware | $36K | -7% | 630 |
| Alabama | $36K | -8% | 470 |
| Georgia | $36K | -8% | 1,850 |
| Kansas | $36K | -8% | 750 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -9% | 760 |
| Iowa | $36K | -9% | 830 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -11% | 270 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -11% | 590 |
| Mississippi | $34K | -13% | 270 |
| Wyoming | $33K | -16% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 68.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,075/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $38,570 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,580, and experienced mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services can clear $51,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,593/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 68.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service salary is worth about $37,233 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.