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Prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution. Time-stamp, open, read, sort, and route incoming mail; and address, seal, stamp, fold, stuff, and affix postage to outgoing mail or packages. Duties may also include keeping necessary records and completed forms.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
---|---|---|---|---|
83,580 | 2.5 % | $15.68 | $32,620 | 0.5 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hourly Wage | $10.28 | $12.22 | $14.89 | $18.49 | $22.65 |
Annual Wage (2) | $21,380 | $25,420 | $30,960 | $38,470 | $47,110 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Business Support Services | 14,050 | 1.58 | $14.72 | $30,610 |
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | 8,890 | 1.81 | $14.42 | $30,000 |
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers | 6,370 | 2.09 | $14.23 | $29,590 |
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 4,830 | 0.24 | $17.27 | $35,910 |
Printing and Related Support Activities | 3,850 | 0.90 | $16.36 | $34,040 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers | 6,370 | 2.09 | $14.23 | $29,590 |
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | 8,890 | 1.81 | $14.42 | $30,000 |
Business Support Services | 14,050 | 1.58 | $14.72 | $30,610 |
Printing and Related Support Activities | 3,850 | 0.90 | $16.36 | $34,040 |
Facilities Support Services | 920 | 0.56 | $14.60 | $30,370 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 50 | 0.01 | $22.34 | $46,470 |
Educational Support Services | 40 | 0.02 | $20.56 | $42,770 |
Grantmaking and Giving Services | 50 | 0.03 | $20.28 | $42,190 |
Food and Beverage Stores (4451 and 4452 only) | (8) | (8) | $20.12 | $41,850 |
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 150 | 0.04 | $20.03 | $41,670 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas | 8,260 | 0.66 | 1.17 | $14.51 | $30,170 |
New York | 8,180 | 0.86 | 1.51 | $17.33 | $36,050 |
California | 6,020 | 0.35 | 0.61 | $16.57 | $34,480 |
Illinois | 5,500 | 0.91 | 1.60 | $14.96 | $31,110 |
Pennsylvania | 4,420 | 0.75 | 1.32 | $15.70 | $32,650 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vermont | 470 | 1.53 | 2.68 | $17.46 | $36,320 |
Connecticut | 1,850 | 1.11 | 1.96 | $17.07 | $35,500 |
Virginia | 4,230 | 1.09 | 1.92 | $15.36 | $31,940 |
Illinois | 5,500 | 0.91 | 1.60 | $14.96 | $31,110 |
Delaware | 400 | 0.90 | 1.57 | $15.29 | $31,800 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
District of Columbia | 610 | 0.85 | 1.49 | $23.08 | $48,010 |
Rhode Island | 230 | 0.47 | 0.82 | $19.47 | $40,500 |
Massachusetts | 1,810 | 0.50 | 0.88 | $19.42 | $40,400 |
Alaska | 130 | 0.39 | 0.69 | $18.73 | $38,960 |
Hawaii | 150 | 0.24 | 0.43 | $17.80 | $37,020 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 8,450 | 0.87 | 1.54 | $16.90 | $35,150 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 4,990 | 1.07 | 1.87 | $14.85 | $30,890 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,120 | 0.98 | 1.72 | $17.60 | $36,610 |
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,710 | 0.94 | 1.65 | $16.98 | $35,330 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,980 | 0.32 | 0.56 | $16.01 | $33,310 |
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,610 | 0.59 | 1.03 | $14.52 | $30,200 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,580 | 0.80 | 1.41 | $16.25 | $33,810 |
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 1,550 | 0.55 | 0.97 | $19.55 | $40,670 |
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1,250 | 2.14 | 3.76 | $16.08 | $33,440 |
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 1,140 | 0.37 | 0.65 | $15.75 | $32,750 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lynchburg, VA | 480 | 4.61 | 8.10 | $13.30 | $27,670 |
Topeka, KS | 350 | 3.21 | 5.63 | $11.96 | $24,880 |
Reading, PA | 550 | 3.07 | 5.40 | $12.41 | $25,820 |
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | 120 | 2.97 | 5.22 | $12.25 | $25,470 |
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 250 | 2.37 | 4.17 | $14.21 | $29,560 |
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1,250 | 2.14 | 3.76 | $16.08 | $33,440 |
Jefferson City, MO | 140 | 1.94 | 3.42 | $14.63 | $30,420 |
Carson City, NV | 50 | 1.80 | 3.17 | $13.75 | $28,600 |
Fresno, CA | 690 | 1.79 | 3.15 | $14.25 | $29,640 |
Richmond, VA | 1,020 | 1.55 | 2.73 | $15.22 | $31,660 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 260 | 0.23 | 0.40 | $20.33 | $42,280 |
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 230 | 0.56 | 0.98 | $20.24 | $42,100 |
Fayetteville, NC | 70 | 0.58 | 1.01 | $19.89 | $41,370 |
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 1,550 | 0.55 | 0.97 | $19.55 | $40,670 |
Iowa City, IA | 60 | 0.61 | 1.07 | $19.52 | $40,590 |
Springfield, MA-CT | 80 | 0.24 | 0.41 | $19.47 | $40,500 |
Anchorage, AK | 50 | 0.29 | 0.52 | $19.34 | $40,230 |
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 240 | 0.41 | 0.72 | $19.17 | $39,880 |
Trenton, NJ | 230 | 0.97 | 1.70 | $19.11 | $39,750 |
Charlottesville, VA | 30 | 0.27 | 0.48 | $18.99 | $39,500 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 390 | 1.75 | 3.07 | $14.25 | $29,630 |
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 310 | 1.11 | 1.95 | $13.24 | $27,550 |
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 280 | 1.76 | 3.10 | $13.83 | $28,770 |
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | 190 | 1.27 | 2.23 | $15.94 | $33,160 |
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 170 | 0.76 | 1.34 | $15.87 | $33,000 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | 280 | 1.76 | 3.10 | $13.83 | $28,770 |
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 390 | 1.75 | 3.07 | $14.25 | $29,630 |
Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 130 | 1.61 | 2.82 | $12.30 | $25,580 |
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | 190 | 1.27 | 2.23 | $15.94 | $33,160 |
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 310 | 1.11 | 1.95 | $13.24 | $27,550 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.51 | 0.90 | $19.58 | $40,720 |
Southern Ohio non-metropolitan area | 70 | 0.44 | 0.77 | $19.09 | $39,710 |
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 0.54 | 0.95 | $17.35 | $36,090 |
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $17.28 | $35,940 |
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.53 | 0.93 | $16.83 | $35,010 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020