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 New Jersey is $43,700/year ($21.01/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $43,990 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 68.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in New Jersey?
About mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services
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What this looks like in New Jersey
New Jersey sits well above the national pay line for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service, local pay runs about 11% 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 $2,067/month, which is 68.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service salary by metro in New Jersey
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton | $50K | +13% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey 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 New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 68.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 New Jersey?
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 $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 93% 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 New Jersey?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $44K here vs. $39K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services?
New Jersey pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services make in New Jersey?
The median is $43,700 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,040, and experienced mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services can clear $61,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,019/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 68.5% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $43,990 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.