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.
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Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. CareerOneStop's licensing data records no state license for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, which usually means it is not a licensed occupation. Requirements can still vary by employer and state.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Pay by education level. Among full-time, year-round paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders ages 25 to 64, median yearly pay is $50,800 with a high school diploma or GED and $66,000 with some college or an associate's degree (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024 dollars). Pay differs for many reasons besides education, such as experience, employer and location.
Industries that employ this career. The largest shares of paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders work in Manufacturing (78%), Retail Trade (6%) and Educational Services (3%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).
Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders are Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (69% of the jobs counted, median pay $49,230), Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills (23% of the jobs counted, median pay $62,260), Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (3% of the jobs counted, median pay $41,430), Printing and Related Support Activities (2% of the jobs counted, median pay $45,640) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills ($62,260), Converted Paper Product Manufacturing ($49,230), Printing and Related Support Activities ($45,640). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.
Injury and illness rates. For the broader group "Miscellaneous production workers", which includes this career (BLS did not publish enough cases for this exact occupation), employers reported 216.6 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 8 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.
Union membership. In the broad group "Production", which includes this career, 11.9% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,161 for union members and $945 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Production", which includes this career, 75% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 80% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 77% had paid sick leave, 90% paid vacation and 92% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $37.63 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Production" in June 2026 ($25.21 in wages and salaries and $12.42 in benefits, 33.0% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders are: exposed to sounds, noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable (96%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (96%), wear common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets (94%), health and safety of other workers (91%), contact with others (86%), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (80%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for related work experience, the most common answer (25% of 26 respondents) was "up to and including 1 month"; for on-site or in-plant training, the most common answer (32% of 26 respondents) was "up to and including 1 month". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in the work done and the skills used: Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders, Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers, Machine Feeders and Offbearers, Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Pay by state. See what paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earn in each state, with the pay range and number of jobs: Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
Compare paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →