SOC 51-9196 · Production Occupations

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$50,270

U.S. median hourly wage$24.17

U.S. employment96,130

Nationally, paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earned a median of $50,270 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 96,130 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: pay and employment by state
State
Oklahoma	$63,640	$30.60	1,390	0.8
Maine	$61,780	$29.70	740	1.2
Utah	$60,790	$29.23	1,350	0.8
Washington	$59,410	$28.56	2,170	0.6
Louisiana	$58,230	$28.00	1,150	0.6
Minnesota	$58,150	$27.96	1,960	0.7
Kentucky	$58,050	$27.91	2,670	1.3
Wisconsin	$58,050	$27.91	8,510	2.9
Idaho	$57,950	$27.86	480	0.6
Oregon	$56,810	$27.31	680	0.3
Illinois	$56,400	$27.11	5,360	0.9
New Mexico	$53,930	$25.93	100	0.1
New York	$52,800	$25.39	3,280	0.3
Alabama	$52,290	$25.14	3,800	1.8
Pennsylvania	$51,780	$24.89	7,410	1.2
Michigan	$50,540	$24.30	3,000	0.7
New Hampshire	$50,200	$24.13	230	0.3
Georgia	$50,160	$24.12	5,650	1.2
South Carolina	$50,040	$24.06	2,460	1.1
Virginia	$49,900	$23.99	2,370	0.6
Arizona	$49,160	$23.63	1,190	0.4
Colorado	$48,940	$23.53	240	0.1
Florida	$48,910	$23.51	1,360	0.1
Massachusetts	$48,840	$23.48	1,920	0.5
Indiana	$48,780	$23.45	2,580	0.8
California	$48,730	$23.43	5,570	0.3
Rhode Island	$48,710	$23.42	240	0.5
Arkansas	$48,630	$23.38	2,060	1.6
Connecticut	$48,530	$23.33	650	0.4
Delaware	$48,110	$23.13	160	0.3
Nebraska	$47,980	$23.07	300	0.3
North Carolina	$47,940	$23.05	4,800	1.0
Texas	$47,830	$23.00	3,740	0.3
Maryland	$47,780	$22.97	480	0.2
Nevada	$47,780	$22.97	380	0.2
Missouri	$47,560	$22.87	1,540	0.5
Ohio	$47,450	$22.81	4,640	0.8
Mississippi	$47,380	$22.78	960	0.8
Tennessee	$46,920	$22.56	3,490	1.1
South Dakota	$46,910	$22.55	130	0.3
Iowa	$46,110	$22.17	1,010	0.6
New Jersey	$45,950	$22.09	3,210	0.8
Kansas	$45,840	$22.04	420	0.3
Puerto Rico	$30,530	$14.68	240	0.3

Pay by metro area

All 132 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
Cedar Rapids, IA	$83,470	$40.13	260	1.8
Pittsfield, MA	$65,190	$31.34	190	3.3
Terre Haute, IN	$65,110	$31.31	40	0.7
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$64,020	$30.78	460	0.2
Albany, OR	$63,800	$30.67	80	1.6
Glens Falls, NY	$61,830	$29.72	340	6.8
Wausau, WI	$61,070	$29.36	430	6.2
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	$60,440	$29.06	150	0.5
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$59,980	$28.84	240	0.4
Longview-Kelso, WA	$59,770	$28.74	590	14.5
Appleton, WI	$59,550	$28.63	710	5.7
Green Bay, WI	$59,230	$28.48	1,740	10.0
Modesto, CA	$59,150	$28.44	370	1.9
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$59,020	$28.38	4,320	1.0
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$59,010	$28.37	130	0.3
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$59,000	$28.37	440	0.6
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$58,820	$28.28	470	0.2
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI	$58,560	$28.16	1,670	17.9
Jacksonville, FL	$58,480	$28.12	320	0.4
Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI	$58,050	$27.91	380	5.0
Kenosha, WI	$57,910	$27.84	300	3.9
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$57,840	$27.81	1,280	0.7
Battle Creek, MI	$57,810	$27.80	40	0.8
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$57,780	$27.78	240	0.1
Bowling Green, KY	$57,620	$27.70	220	2.7
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$57,540	$27.66	70	0.3
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$57,100	$27.45	260	0.5
Syracuse, NY	$57,060	$27.44	460	1.5
Rockford, IL	$56,800	$27.31	90	0.7
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$55,810	$26.83	1,430	0.5
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$54,410	$26.16	920	1.1
Yakima, WA	$54,060	$25.99	180	1.8
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$53,870	$25.90	230	0.2
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV	$52,790	$25.38	90	0.8
Lancaster, PA	$52,560	$25.27	220	0.9
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	$52,390	$25.19	130	0.5
Reading, PA	$52,130	$25.06	250	1.4
York-Hanover, PA	$51,500	$24.76	550	3.0
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	$51,360	$24.69	370	3.0
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$51,360	$24.69	660	0.5
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$51,220	$24.62	720	0.4
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$51,190	$24.61	440	0.5
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$51,140	$24.59	470	0.8
Columbia, SC	$51,010	$24.53	450	1.1
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$50,800	$24.43	360	1.0
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$50,330	$24.20	320	1.2
Montgomery, AL	$50,120	$24.10	190	1.1
Richmond, VA	$49,980	$24.03	930	1.4
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$49,970	$24.02	700	0.5
Reno, NV	$49,920	$24.00	230	0.8
Lynchburg, VA	$49,900	$23.99	310	3.2
Rochester, NY	$49,850	$23.97	230	0.5
Gettysburg, PA	$49,660	$23.88	240	7.4
Niles, MI	$49,590	$23.84	100	1.6
Killeen-Temple, TX	$49,520	$23.81	350	2.3
Salem, OR	$49,450	$23.78	60	0.3
Madison, WI	$49,220	$23.67	90	0.2
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$49,160	$23.63	1,120	0.5
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$49,120	$23.62	850	0.8
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$49,100	$23.61	200	0.7
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$48,940	$23.53	200	0.1
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$48,930	$23.52	2,060	0.3
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$48,910	$23.51	520	0.9
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$48,900	$23.51	1,410	1.3
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$48,760	$23.44	280	0.6
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	$48,740	$23.43	600	3.9
Visalia, CA	$48,730	$23.43	300	1.8
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$48,640	$23.38	1,590	0.4
Akron, OH	$48,580	$23.36	230	0.7
St. Louis, MO-IL	$48,570	$23.35	680	0.5
Birmingham, AL	$48,450	$23.29	60	0.1
Columbus, OH	$48,340	$23.24	730	0.7
Kansas City, MO-KS	$48,220	$23.18	720	0.7
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$48,150	$23.15	1,690	0.6
Florence, SC	$48,140	$23.15	290	3.2
Fort Wayne, IN	$48,080	$23.11	210	0.9
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$48,050	$23.10	250	0.3
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$47,970	$23.06	370	0.5
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$47,760	$22.96	110	0.1
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$47,650	$22.91	530	0.5
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$47,510	$22.84	220	0.1
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$47,420	$22.80	780	0.5
Janesville-Beloit, WI	$47,320	$22.75	180	2.6
Spartanburg, SC	$47,310	$22.75	310	1.9
Jackson, MS	$47,210	$22.70	150	0.6
Worcester, MA	$47,200	$22.69	600	1.7
Cleveland, OH	$47,050	$22.62	660	0.6
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$47,010	$22.60	140	0.4
Pittsburgh, PA	$47,010	$22.60	500	0.4
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$46,990	$22.59	500	1.4
Asheville, NC	$46,940	$22.57	150	0.8
Knoxville, TN	$46,920	$22.56	480	1.1
Macon-Bibb County, GA	$46,910	$22.55	730	7.6
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$46,840	$22.52	450	1.0
Fresno, CA	$46,800	$22.50	330	0.7
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$46,530	$22.37	260	0.7
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$46,410	$22.31	2,940	0.3
Springfield, MA	$46,350	$22.29	340	1.7
Joplin, MO-KS	$46,180	$22.20	130	1.5
Clarksville, TN-KY	$46,150	$22.19	160	1.6
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$46,130	$22.18	410	0.1
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$45,960	$22.10	250	0.2
Jackson, TN	$45,900	$22.07	420	5.0
Ann Arbor, MI	$45,800	$22.02	40	0.2
Springfield, MO	$45,440	$21.85	70	0.3
Toledo, OH	$45,370	$21.81	200	0.7
Canton-Massillon, OH	$45,260	$21.76	160	1.0
Decatur, AL	$45,050	$21.66	70	1.2
Springfield, OH	$45,000	$21.64	70	1.4
Altoona, PA	$44,890	$21.58	170	3.0
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$44,760	$21.52	150	0.1
Hattiesburg, MS	$44,450	$21.37	220	3.5
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$44,340	$21.32	150	0.1
Lincoln, NE	$44,130	$21.22	70	0.4
Elkhart-Goshen, IN	$43,420	$20.88	90	0.7
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$40,350	$19.40	110	0.0
Lebanon, PA	$40,010	$19.24	80	1.4
Oklahoma City, OK	$39,520	$19.00	160	0.2
Roanoke, VA	$39,040	$18.77	200	1.3
Winston-Salem, NC	$38,730	$18.62	550	2.0
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	$38,590	$18.55	110	1.3
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$38,210	$18.37	340	1.0
Salinas, CA	$38,140	$18.34	250	1.4
El Paso, TX	$37,800	$18.17	180	0.5
Vineland, NJ	$37,450	$18.00	Not published	Not published
Morristown, TN	$36,330	$17.47	60	1.3
Dalton, GA	$35,560	$17.09	170	2.6
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	$30,530	$14.68	200	0.3
Binghamton, NY	Not published	Not published	80	0.9
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	Not published	Not published	250	0.9
Tulsa, OK	Not published	Not published	530	1.2
Wilmington, NC	Not published	Not published	60	0.3

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.