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Mail handler vs mailroom assistant

The differences between mail handlers and mailroom assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mail handler has an average salary of $35,851, which is higher than the $29,118 average annual salary of a mailroom assistant.

The top three skills for a mail handler include mail containers, delivery truck and pallet jack. The most important skills for a mailroom assistant are office equipment, data entry, and HR.

Mail handler vs mailroom assistant overview

Mail HandlerMailroom Assistant
Yearly salary$35,851$29,118
Hourly rate$17.24$14.00
Growth rate-6%-5%
Number of jobs59,49913,048
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4545
Years of experience--

What does a mail handler do?

An employee given the responsibility of a mail handler is dedicated to walking, office work, and delivering mail. A mail handler's day starts by sorting out and preparing mail/packages that are loaded to trucks for dispatch. Mail handlers also have responsibilities in post offices where they perform clergy jobs, attend to customer queries, weigh packages, and organize mail according to location and address. Overall, it's a detailed job to sort and prepare mail, load in trucks, and provide tracking to ensure all mail is routed to its correct destination.

What does a mailroom assistant do?

Mailroom assistants receive incoming mail and then process, sort, and distribute it to the proper recipients. They may maintain mailroom supply inventories and sort office mail and messages. It is part of their responsibilities to check outgoing mail by preparing it for delivery, including distribution of packages and logging. Moreover, they usually operate mailroom tools such as envelope openers, postage meters, mail sorting machines, mail sealers, fold-and-insert machines, labeling machines, and scanners.

Mail handler vs mailroom assistant salary

Mail handlers and mailroom assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Mail HandlerMailroom Assistant
Average salary$35,851$29,118
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $56,000Between $23,000 And $35,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MAWalnut Creek, CA
Highest paying stateVermontHawaii
Best paying companyState of ConnecticutUniversity of California
Best paying industryRetailGovernment

Differences between mail handler and mailroom assistant education

There are a few differences between a mail handler and a mailroom assistant in terms of educational background:

Mail HandlerMailroom Assistant
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Mail handler vs mailroom assistant demographics

Here are the differences between mail handlers' and mailroom assistants' demographics:

Mail HandlerMailroom Assistant
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 53.7% Female, 46.3%Male, 54.1% Female, 45.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 6.0% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between mail handler and mailroom assistant duties and responsibilities

Mail handler example responsibilities.

  • Process mail with RF scanner.
  • Comply with FAA and FedEx rules and regulations.
  • Operate tug and dolly to the fedex plane so they can load them
  • Process mail with RF scanners, or weigh mail for proper postage for shipping
  • Replenish and replace the BMC carts when fill and escort carts to the loading dock.
  • Operate a DBCS, which is an automation machine used to sort mail by zip codes and states.
  • Show more

Mailroom assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage files, prepare lobby monitor presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint.
  • Present cases for equipment upgrades by use of ROI tools and specification advantages.
  • Help implement and maintain USPS standards, policies, and procedures in mail management.
  • Create new division for NCOA processes for outside customers that increase revenue there as well.
  • Pick up, sort, and deliver all USPS mail including time and authorization sensitive correspondence.
  • Distribute incoming FedEx and DHL packages to employees on assign floors as well as processing and shipping outgoing FedEx and DHL.
  • Show more

Mail handler vs mailroom assistant skills

Common mail handler skills
  • Mail Containers, 28%
  • Delivery Truck, 15%
  • Pallet Jack, 12%
  • Load Trucks, 10%
  • Mail Delivery, 5%
  • Mail Handling, 4%
Common mailroom assistant skills
  • Office Equipment, 27%
  • Data Entry, 15%
  • HR, 14%
  • Mail Room, 8%
  • USPS, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%

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