Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9196

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Median pay sits 32% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Gas Plant Operators, Power Distributors and Dispatchers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Gas Plant Operators ($88K) , Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9196 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production p…
  2. 2. Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension
  3. 3. Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting
  4. 4. Cut products to specified dimensions, using hand or power cutters
  5. 5. Place rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, and thread paper through gluing, coating, and slitting rollers
  6. 6. Monitor finished cartons as they drop from forming machines into rotating hoppers and into gravity feed chutes to prevent jamming
  7. 7. Adjust guide assemblies, forming bars, and folding mechanisms according to specifications, using hand tools
  8. 8. Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust tempera…
  9. 9. Measure, space, and set saw blades, cutters, and perforators, according to product specifications
  10. 10. Fill glue and paraffin reservoirs, and position rollers to dispense glue onto paperboard
  11. 11. Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools
  12. 12. Stamp products with information such as dates, using hand stamps or automatic stamping devices

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9196 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.6 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.6
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.3
  3. 3. Quality Control Analysis 3.1
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.0
  5. 5. Speaking 3.0
  6. 6. Critical Thinking 3.0
  7. 7. Monitoring 3.0
  8. 8. Time Management 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.7
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.6
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.5
  4. 4. Customer and Personal Service 3.2
  5. 5. English Language 3.2
  6. 6. Education and Training 2.7
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-32%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $50,270/yr
$50K
National median
↓ -6%
Growth 2024-2034
8,100
Annual openings
96,130
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

1. Idaho $57,950
2. Kentucky $58,050
3. Minnesota $58,150
4. Oregon $56,810
5. Maine $61,780
6. Utah $60,790
7. Washington $59,410
8. Oklahoma $63,640
9. Wisconsin $58,050
10. Louisiana $58,230

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Gas Plant Operators $87,820
  2. 2. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  3. 3. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  4. 4. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  5. 5. Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers $62,750
  6. 6. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits 32% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $50,270.

Employment Projections expect -6% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 8,100 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Idaho at $57,950. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay-rank #34 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is pay-rank #34, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pays 32% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9196

Idaho · top state for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$58K published median

Kentucky · #2 state pay

$58K · behind Idaho

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $123K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $62K

Compare Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders at the top of the pay table? ▼
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is pay-rank #34 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($50K), Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($51K), Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators ($51K), Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters ($51K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. Leading ones include: Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production p…; Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension; Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting; Cut products to specified dimensions, using hand or power cutters. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-9196, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.6), Operation and Control (3.3), Quality Control Analysis (3.1), Active Listening (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $50,270 as the national median for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $37,300 to $70,320. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is -6%. Projected annual openings: about 8,100. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
Idaho ($57,950), Kentucky ($58,050), Minnesota ($58,150) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9196. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics