Production

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

See live paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders jobs Compare this career
10/100
Jobs.best score
#702 of 825
$50,270
median pay, U.S.
96,130
employed (2024)
-6.3%
growth, 2024–34
8,100
openings per year
High school diploma or equivalent
typical entry education

Is paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders a good career?

It scores 10/100 and ranks #702 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • Pays below the U.S. median wage ($50,270 vs $61,390)
  • Employment is projected to decline (-6.3% through 2034)

What paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earn between $44,920 and $60,180 a year.

Best-paying states

same axis · ranked by median
Oklahoma statewide
$63,640
Maine statewide
$61,780
Utah statewide
$60,790
Washington statewide
$59,410
Louisiana statewide
$58,230
Minnesota statewide
$58,150
Kentucky statewide
$58,050
Wisconsin statewide
$58,050
Idaho statewide
$57,950
Oregon statewide
$56,810
$20k $60k $100k

Best-paying metros

01 Cedar Rapids, IA $83,470
02 Pittsfield, MA $65,190
03 Terre Haute, IN $65,110
04 Seattle, WA $64,020
05 Albany, OR $63,800
06 Glens Falls, NY $61,830
07 Wausau, WI $61,070
08 Provo, UT $60,440

Strongest employment concentration

01 Wisconsin 8,510
02 Pennsylvania 7,410
03 Georgia 5,650
04 California 5,570
05 Illinois 5,360
06 North Carolina 4,800

Live paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders jobs

No live paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders openings will appear here — each shown against the $50,270 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Requirements from the Employment Projections program. This occupation has no Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.

Related occupations

Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
High school diploma or equivalent · $43,220 median
Production Workers, All Other
High school diploma or equivalent · $40,110 median
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
High school diploma or equivalent · $50,690 median
Questions about becoming a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender
How much do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make?

The national median wage is $50,270 a year, with the middle half earning between $44,920 and $60,180 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 10 of 100 and ranks #702 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change -6.3% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tender?

The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent.

Where do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earn the most?

Among states, Oklahoma pays the highest median ($63,640). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34. How we score careers →