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 Mankato, MN is $47,050/year ($22.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.95), which stretches that salary to about $51,732 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,171/month, about 36% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Mankato?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Mankato’s Regional Price Parity (90.95). 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 Mankato
Mankato sits well above the national pay line for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $39K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,171/month, which is 36.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.95 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services in metros near Mankato, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $45K | $43K |
| St. Cloud | $44K | $50K |
| Duluth | $48K | $55K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $38K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mankato, MN
Entry-level mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $25K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mankato?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 36.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,171/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Mankato?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,222/month. At HUD’s $1,171/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Mankato?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $47K here vs. $39K nationally.
How does Mankato compare to the national average for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services?
Mankato pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services make in Mankato, MN?
The median is $47,050 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,030, and experienced mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services can clear $62,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Mankato?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,173/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,171/month, which eats 36.9% 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 Mankato?
Mankato has a Regional Price Parity of 90.95 (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 $51,732 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.