How much does a Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?

The median annual wage for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $50,270 ($24 per hour). Pay ranges from about $37,300 at the 10th percentile to $70,320 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?

The average (mean) annual salary is $52,840, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenderss the most?

Oklahoma has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $63,640.

Is Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 96K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders do?

Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.; Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.; Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools..

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary

Production Occupations · 96K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$50,270

Median hourly

$24

Average annual

$52,840

Typical range

$37,300–$70,320

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$37,300

25th$44,920

Median$50,270

75th$60,180

90th$70,320

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $50,270 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $24 an hour at a full-time schedule.

Set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products..

Most earn between $37,300 and $70,320 a year. There are roughly 96K people employed as paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $24.17
Daily: $193
Weekly: $967
Bi-weekly: $1,933
Monthly: $4,189
Annual: $50,270

$50,270 a year is around the 50th percentile for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenderss. The median is $50,270.

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$17.90	$37,300
25th percentile	$21.60	$44,920
Median	$24.20	$50,270
75th percentile	$28.90	$60,180
90th percentile	$33.80	$70,320
Average (mean)	$25.40	$52,840
Employment	96,130 people

Key skills

Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Quality Control Analysis
Active Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Time Management
Active Learning
Social Perceptiveness

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1Oklahoma$63,640
2Maine$61,780
3Utah$60,790
4Washington$59,410
5Louisiana$58,230
6Minnesota$58,150
7Kentucky$58,050
8Wisconsin$58,050
9Idaho$57,950
10Oregon$56,810
11Illinois$56,400
12New Mexico$53,930

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Cedar Rapids, IA$83,470
2Pittsfield, MA$65,190
3Terre Haute, IN$65,110
4Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$64,020
5Albany, OR$63,800
6Glens Falls, NY$61,830
7Wausau, WI$61,070
8Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT$60,440
9Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$59,980
10Longview-Kelso, WA$59,770
11Appleton, WI$59,550
12Green Bay, WI$59,230

Related job titles

Employers advertise Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders does

Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.
Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools.
Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?: The median annual wage for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $50,270 ($24 per hour). Pay ranges from about $37,300 at the 10th percentile to $70,320 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?: The average (mean) annual salary is $52,840, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenderss the most?: Oklahoma has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $63,640.
Is Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 96K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders do?: Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.; Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.; Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools..