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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $35,260/year ($16.95/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $39,846 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,095/month, about 44.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,095/month, which is 45.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $39K | $40K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $40K | $41K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $35K | $38K |
| Winston-Salem | $36K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $29K 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 |
| Iowa | $36K | -9% | 830 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -9% | 760 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -11% | 270 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -11% | 590 |
| Mississippi | $34K | -13% | 270 |
| Wyoming | $33K | -16% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 45.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,654/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $35,260 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,560, and experienced mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services can clear $56,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,399/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 45.6% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service salary is worth about $39,846 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.