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The differences between mail machine operators and mailroom assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mail machine operator has an average salary of $30,675, which is higher than the $29,118 average annual salary of a mailroom assistant.
The top three skills for a mail machine operator include minor maintenance, service calls and photocopying. The most important skills for a mailroom assistant are office equipment, data entry, and HR.
| Mail Machine Operator | Mailroom Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $30,675 | $29,118 |
| Hourly rate | $14.75 | $14.00 |
| Growth rate | - | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 71,436 | 13,048 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A mail machine operator is responsible for ensuring that all outbound and inbound mail is properly managed and distributed. They commonly handle mail machines for the purpose of collecting, sorting, opening, fixing, sealing, and folding mail envelopes. A mail machine operator removes the mail from containers and transfers it into its designated areas. Other than that, they are also tasked to inspect and keep records and forms in their proper places, and wrap gifts, parcels, and items in a package manually or by using a machine.
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 machine operators and mailroom assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mail Machine Operator | Mailroom Assistant | |
| Average salary | $30,675 | $29,118 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $37,000 | Between $23,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | Walnut Creek, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Washington State University | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Government |
There are a few differences between a mail machine operator and a mailroom assistant in terms of educational background:
| Mail Machine Operator | Mailroom Assistant | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mail machine operators' and mailroom assistants' demographics:
| Mail Machine Operator | Mailroom Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.5% Female, 42.5% | Male, 54.1% Female, 45.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 6.6% White, 59.8% 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 Percentage | 7% | 7% |