Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary: $49,390 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 96,950 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders work nationally, and $49,390 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 13% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 3.7% annual decline.
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: what the data shows
Common questions about paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-9196.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 96,950 workers.
What does a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Controlling Machines and Processes, Handling and Moving Objects, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make?
BLS national median annual wage: $49,390 (May 2024 in our extract).
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,664 |
| 25th percentile | $47,790 |
| Median (50th) | $51,329 |
| 75th percentile | $60,471 |
| 90th percentile | $62,964 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, Time Management, Speaking, and knowledge areas including Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 3.7% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -17.0%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -31.1%.
Current U.S. headcount: 96,950.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenderss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 96,950 | 20.0% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 96,950 | 20.0% |
| Manufacturing | 92,900 | 19.2% |
| Paper Manufacturing | 88,340 | 18.2% |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 65,420 | 13.5% |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 22,920 | 4.7% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 31,510 | $41,600 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 159,500 | $47,590 |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | 6,130 | $68,860 |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 36,290 | $47,060 |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 154,820 | $41,230 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders workforce.
Employment Over Time
96,950 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders shrank from 33,540 in 2009 to 18,500 in 2025 (44.8%).
Historical employment for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$49,390 Median pay (BLS national)
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn $49,390 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Salary distribution for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Employment Growth Projections
-3.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
15,361 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -17.0%
12,754 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -31.1%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Wage Trends by Industry
12.7% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- PA: 7,720 employees, $52,210 avg wage
- WI: 6,930 employees, $55,430 avg wage
- GA: 6,390 employees, $51,620 avg wage
- IL: 5,720 employees, $52,950 avg wage
- CA: 5,050 employees, $51,760 avg wage
- NC: 5,010 employees, $46,510 avg wage
- TX: 4,150 employees, $46,980 avg wage
- AL: 3,930 employees, $50,180 avg wage
- OH: 3,900 employees, $51,230 avg wage
- SC: 3,650 employees, $55,870 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 4,970 employees, $53,710 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 2,440 employees, $49,620 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 2,190 employees, $47,030 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 1,920 employees, $51,680 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 1,610 employees, $52,640 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 1,550 employees, $46,420 avg wage
- Green Bay, WI: 1,390 employees, $58,330 avg wage
- Oshkosh-Neenah, WI: 1,210 employees, $54,210 avg wage
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: 1,200 employees, $53,550 avg wage
- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN: 1,030 employees, $52,590 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Diversity
Demographic information on Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is about 96,950 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders workers.
Education level distribution for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Skills
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders need many skills, but most especially Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, Time Management.
Required skills for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders include Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service, English Language.
Knowledge areas required for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders include Near Vision, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Control Precision, Problem Sensitivity, Finger Dexterity.
Required abilities for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
Daily Activities
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders spend their time on activities such as Controlling Machines and Processes, Handling and Moving Objects, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information.
Most important work activities for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
About
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn $49,390 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
51-9196 - Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders reports an average salary of $53,104.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 96,950 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -3.7%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.