Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary

The median pay for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in the United States is $50,270 a year. About 96,130 people hold this job.

10th percentile: $37,300
25th percentile: $44,920
Median percentile: $50,270
75th percentile: $60,180
90th percentile: $70,320

Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.

How to become: education, skills and job outlook

Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities

By state

Oklahoma $63,640
Maine $61,780
Utah $60,790
Washington $59,410
Louisiana $58,230
Minnesota $58,150
Kentucky $58,050
Wisconsin $58,050
Idaho $57,950
Oregon $56,810
Illinois $56,400
New Mexico $53,930
New York $52,800
Alabama $52,290
Pennsylvania $51,780
Michigan $50,540
New Hampshire $50,200
Georgia $50,160
South Carolina $50,040
Virginia $49,900
Arizona $49,160
Colorado $48,940
Florida $48,910
Massachusetts $48,840
Indiana $48,780
California $48,730
Rhode Island $48,710
Arkansas $48,630
Connecticut $48,530
Delaware $48,110
Nebraska $47,980
North Carolina $47,940
Texas $47,830
Maryland $47,780
Nevada $47,780
Missouri $47,560
Ohio $47,450
Mississippi $47,380
Tennessee $46,920
South Dakota $46,910
Iowa $46,110
New Jersey $45,950
Kansas $45,840

By metro area

Cedar Rapids, IA $83,470
Pittsfield, MA $65,190
Terre Haute, IN $65,110
Seattle, WA $64,020
Albany, OR $63,800
Glens Falls, NY $61,830
Wausau, WI $61,070
Provo, UT $60,440
Hartford, CT $59,980
Longview, WA $59,770
Appleton, WI $59,550
Green Bay, WI $59,230
Modesto, CA $59,150
Chicago, IL $59,020
Bridgeport, CT $59,010
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY $59,000
Boston, MA $58,820
Oshkosh, WI $58,560
Jacksonville, FL $58,480
Racine, WI $58,050
Kenosha, WI $57,910
Minneapolis, MN $57,840
Battle Creek, MI $57,810
San Francisco, CA $57,780
Bowling Green, KY $57,620
Spokane, WA $57,540
Buffalo, NY $57,100
Syracuse, NY $57,060
Rockford, IL $56,800
Philadelphia, PA $55,810
Milwaukee, WI $54,410
Yakima, WA $54,060
Sacramento, CA $53,870
Hagerstown, MD $52,790
Lancaster, PA $52,560
Lakeland, FL $52,390
Reading, PA $52,130
York, PA $51,500
Kalamazoo, MI $51,360
Portland, OR $51,360
Detroit, MI $51,220
Salt Lake City, UT $51,190
Memphis, TN $51,140
Columbia, SC $51,010
Allentown, PA $50,800
Chattanooga, TN $50,330
Montgomery, AL $50,120
Richmond, VA $49,980
Charlotte, NC $49,970
Reno, NV $49,920
Lynchburg, VA $49,900
Rochester, NY $49,850
Gettysburg, PA $49,660
Niles, MI $49,590
Killeen, TX $49,520
Salem, OR $49,450
Madison, WI $49,220
Phoenix, AZ $49,160
Indianapolis, IN $49,120
Stockton, CA $49,100
Denver, CO $48,940
Los Angeles, CA $48,930
Grand Rapids, MI $48,910
Cincinnati, OH $48,900
Albany, NY $48,760
Hickory, NC $48,740
Visalia, CA $48,730
Dallas, TX $48,640
Akron, OH $48,580
St. Louis, MO $48,570
Birmingham, AL $48,450
Columbus, OH $48,340
Kansas City, MO $48,220
Atlanta, GA $48,150
Florence, SC $48,140
Fort Wayne, IN $48,080
Virginia Beach, VA $48,050
Providence, RI $47,970
Orlando, FL $47,760
Nashville, TN $47,650
Miami, FL $47,510
Riverside, CA $47,420
Janesville, WI $47,320
Spartanburg, SC $47,310
Jackson, MS $47,210
Worcester, MA $47,200
Cleveland, OH $47,050
Dayton, OH $47,010
Pittsburgh, PA $47,010
Greensboro, NC $46,990
Asheville, NC $46,940
Knoxville, TN $46,920
Macon, GA $46,910
Greenville, SC $46,840
Fresno, CA $46,800
Little Rock, AR $46,530
New York, NY $46,410
Springfield, MA $46,350
Joplin, MO $46,180
Clarksville, TN $46,150
Houston, TX $46,130
Tampa, FL $45,960
Jackson, TN $45,900
Ann Arbor, MI $45,800
Springfield, MO $45,440
Toledo, OH $45,370
Canton, OH $45,260
Decatur, AL $45,050
Springfield, OH $45,000
Altoona, PA $44,890
San Diego, CA $44,760
Hattiesburg, MS $44,450
Las Vegas, NV $44,340
Lincoln, NE $44,130
Elkhart, IN $43,420
Washington, DC $40,350
Lebanon, PA $40,010
Oklahoma City, OK $39,520
Roanoke, VA $39,040
Winston, NC $38,730