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 York is $42,020/year ($20.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $42,786 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 66.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in New York?
About mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services
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What this looks like in New York
Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service pay in New York tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $39K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,917/month, which is 67.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service salary by metro in New York
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $44K | +5% | 5,150 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $42K | +1% | 490 |
| Syracuse | $42K | +0% | 170 |
| Kingston | $41K | -1% | 40 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $40K | -4% | 300 |
| Rochester | $40K | -6% | 280 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $39K | -7% | 120 |
| Utica-Rome | $39K | -8% | 120 |
| Binghamton | $38K | -11% | 60 |
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 York 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 York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 67.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/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 York?
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 $2,082/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 92% 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 York?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $39K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does New York compare to the national average for mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services?
New York pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services make in New York?
The median is $42,020 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,700, and experienced mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal services can clear $57,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,841/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 67.5% 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 York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $42,786 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.