How To Become A Mail Machine Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a mail machine operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Mail machine operators work for postal services or large organizations such as press offices and prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. They do this by operating a machine designed for this particular purpose. They sort mail, weigh packages, and calculate postage.

You will be responsible for maintaining the equipment you use in good condition. You might have to wrap packages as well and perform tasks that are not directly related to mail, such as overseeing the inventory of supplies or making sure the organization produces the appropriate quality and quantity of products.

This is an entry-level position you can fill with a GED. You will most probably receive on-the-job training, so as long as you have good attention to detail, and are in good physical condition to stand for long periods or lift heavy packages, you should be good to go. Hourly wages in this position average around $13.03, which adds up to annual salaries of around $27,000.

ScoreMail Machine OperatorUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $30,675

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.67%

Asian 6.58%

Black or African American 10.17%

Hispanic or Latino 19.27%

Unknown 3.51%

White 59.80%

Gender

female 42.50%

male 57.50%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

8.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a mail machine operator

Explore mail machine operator education requirements

Most common mail machine operator degrees

High School Diploma

35.0 %

Bachelor's

28.0 %

Associate

21.5 %

Start to develop specific mail machine operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Minor Maintenance	35.50%
Service Calls	9.53%
Photocopying	7.98%
Postal Regulations	5.22%
USPS	4.88%

Complete relevant mail machine operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New mail machine operators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a mail machine operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real mail machine operator resumes.

Research mail machine operator duties and responsibilities

Manage files, prepare lobby monitor presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint.
Process mail and run an opex machine that cuts the envelopes while sorting mail.
Complete paperwork for the high quantities of mail that have ran off of the machines.
Operate OPEX machines to automatically sort envelopes.

Prepare your mail machine operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your mail machine operator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a mail machine operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable mail machine operator resume templates

Build a professional mail machine operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your mail machine operator resume.