43 Series · SOC 43-9071

Office Machine Operators, Except Computer Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$40,960
Median / year
$57,960
Top 10% earn
-15.2%
Growth '23–'33
25,130
US workers

Office Machine Operators, Except Computer earn a median of $40,960 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $40,960, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $31,750 (10th percentile) to $57,960 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 25,130 US workers. Alaska pays the most ($56,010), since pay varies by state and metro area.

43 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Office Machine Operators, Except Computer earn a median of $40,960, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 13% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Office and Administrative Support, it ranks #47 of 54 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 15.2% by 2033.

$40,960
Median annual wage
Top 87%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#47 of 54
in Office and Administrative Support
1.8×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Alaska at $56,010. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Office Machine Operators, Except Computer (SOC 43-9071) pays a national median of $40,960 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $31,750 at the 10th percentile to $57,960 at the 90th, with a mean of $43,220 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 25,130 Americans work in this occupation across 48 reporting states and 104 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -15.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,800 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $56,010, which is +37% above the national figure. The top metro is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $53,810 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 25,130 jobs Median $40,960/yr

Median Salary

$40,960

per year

Median Hourly

$19.69/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$43,220

average

Employment

25,130

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Office Machine Operators, Except Computer pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$40,960 Bottom 13% higher than 13% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 43-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Office Machine Operators, Except Computer; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Office Machine Operators, Except Computer sits on the slower-growing side at -15.2% growth and $40,960 median pay.

Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Office Machine Operators, Except Computer sits on the slower-growing side at -15.2% growth and $40,960 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -20%-15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 43-series occupations with growth data, Office Machine Operators, Except Computer sits on the slower-growing side at -15.2% growth and $40,960 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-15.2%

Declining

Annual Openings

2,800

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.5/100K

Injury Rate

1/100

Danger Index

4.3/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operation and Control 3.3
Reading Comprehension 3.1
Operations Monitoring 3.1
Active Listening 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Critical Thinking 3.0
Monitoring 3.0
Judgment and Decision Making 3.0
Time Management 3.0
Writing 2.9

Knowledge Areas

English Language 3.9
Customer and Personal Service 3.8
Production and Processing 3.4
Computers and Electronics 3.0
Mathematics 2.9
Administrative 2.7
Communications and Media 2.3
Mechanical 2.3
Administration and Management 2.2
Design 2.2

Key Tasks

  • Read job orders to determine the type of work to be done, the quantities to be produced, and the materials needed.
  • Deliver completed work.
  • Place original copies in feed trays, feed originals into feed rolls, or position originals on tables beneath camera lenses.
  • Sort, assemble, and proof completed work.
  • Operate office machines such as high speed business photocopiers, readers, scanners, addressing machines, stencil-cutting machines, microfilm readers or printers, folding and inserting machines, bursters, and binder machines.
  • Complete records of production, including work volumes and outputs, materials used, and any backlogs.
  • Compute prices for services and receive payment, or provide supervisors with billing information.
  • Set up and adjust machines, regulating factors such as speed, ink flow, focus, and number of copies.
  • Load machines with materials such as blank paper or film.
  • Monitor machine operation, and make adjustments as necessary to ensure proper operation.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$31,750$36,090$40,960$47,910$57,960
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$15.27$17.35$19.69$23.03$27.87
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$31,750

25th Percentile

$36,090

Median

$40,960

75th Percentile

$47,910

90th Percentile

$57,960

Salary by State

View all 48 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Alaska $56,010 +37% above national
2 Vermont $48,380 +18% above national
3 Massachusetts $47,470 +16% above national
4 California $47,150 +15% above national
5 Colorado $46,860 +14% above national
6 Washington $46,290 +13% above national
7 Minnesota $45,890 +12% above national
8 New York $45,740 +12% above national
9 Rhode Island $45,560 +11% above national
10 Nevada $45,330 +11% above national
11 Maine $45,240 +10% above national
12 North Carolina $44,480 +9% above national
13 Illinois $44,360 +8% above national
14 Montana $44,260 +8% above national
15 West Virginia $43,140 +5% above national
16 Oregon $42,910 +5% above national
17 Virginia $41,920 +2% above national
18 District of Columbia $41,460 +1% above national
19 Iowa $41,330 +1% above national
20 Tennessee $40,740 1% below national
21 Wisconsin $39,890 3% below national
22 New Jersey $39,360 4% below national
23 Delaware $39,200 4% below national
24 Kansas $39,050 5% below national
25 Nebraska $38,820 5% below national
26 Kentucky $38,640 6% below national
27 Ohio $38,380 6% below national
28 Florida $38,330 6% below national
29 Hawaii $38,170 7% below national
30 Indiana $37,860 8% below national
31 Connecticut $37,790 8% below national
32 Missouri $37,760 8% below national
33 Wyoming $37,470 9% below national
34 Texas $37,060 10% below national
35 Louisiana $36,960 10% below national
36 Michigan $36,880 10% below national
37 Georgia $36,730 10% below national
38 Pennsylvania $36,720 10% below national
39 Arkansas $36,520 11% below national
40 Utah $36,360 11% below national
41 Maryland $35,670 13% below national
42 New Mexico $35,140 14% below national
43 Oklahoma $34,810 15% below national
44 Mississippi $34,640 15% below national
45 South Carolina $33,870 17% below national
46 New Hampshire $32,590 20% below national
47 Arizona $32,060 22% below national
48 Puerto Rico $24,480 40% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 104 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $53,810 +31% above national
2 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $53,320 +30% above national
3 Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area $52,030 +27% above national
4 Salem, OR $50,670 +24% above national
5 Anchorage, AK $50,230 +23% above national
6 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $48,310 +18% above national
7 Springfield, IL $48,290 +18% above national
8 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $48,060 +17% above national
9 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $47,840 +17% above national
10 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $47,470 +16% above national
11 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $47,440 +16% above national
12 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $47,320 +16% above national
13 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $47,270 +15% above national
14 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $47,130 +15% above national
15 Green Bay, WI $47,130 +15% above national
16 Colorado Springs, CO $46,900 +15% above national
17 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $46,880 +14% above national
18 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $46,740 +14% above national
19 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,530 +14% above national
20 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $46,450 +13% above national
21 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $45,750 +12% above national
22 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $45,590 +11% above national
23 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $45,560 +11% above national
24 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $45,220 +10% above national
25 Knoxville, TN $45,110 +10% above national
26 Worcester, MA $45,060 +10% above national
27 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $44,980 +10% above national
28 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $44,370 +8% above national
29 Akron, OH $44,310 +8% above national
30 Springfield, MA $43,680 +7% above national
31 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $43,310 +6% above national
32 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $43,270 +6% above national
33 Duluth, MN-WI $41,980 +2% above national
34 Wilmington, NC $41,590 +2% above national
35 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $41,410 +1% above national
36 Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $41,020 same as national
37 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $40,980 same as national
38 Greensboro-High Point, NC $40,850 same as national
39 Kansas City, MO-KS $40,630 1% below national
40 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $40,560 1% below national
41 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $40,260 2% below national
42 Richmond, VA $40,140 2% below national
43 St. Louis, MO-IL $40,110 2% below national
44 Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area $39,940 2% below national
45 Fort Wayne, IN $39,910 3% below national
46 Madison, WI $39,890 3% below national
47 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $39,640 3% below national
48 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $39,490 4% below national
49 South Georgia nonmetropolitan area $39,430 4% below national
50 Oklahoma City, OK $39,240 4% below national
51 Syracuse, NY $39,150 4% below national
52 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $39,060 5% below national
53 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $39,020 5% below national
54 Omaha, NE-IA $38,870 5% below national
55 Peoria, IL $38,840 5% below national
56 Rochester, NY $38,820 5% below national
57 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $38,640 6% below national
58 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $38,620 6% below national
59 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $38,550 6% below national
60 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $38,510 6% below national
61 Jacksonville, FL $38,410 6% below national
62 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $38,370 6% below national
63 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $38,330 6% below national
64 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $38,090 7% below national
65 Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $38,000 7% below national
66 Evansville, IN $37,950 7% below national
67 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $37,780 8% below national
68 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $37,710 8% below national
69 Raleigh-Cary, NC $37,630 8% below national
70 Urban Honolulu, HI $37,590 8% below national
71 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $37,530 8% below national
72 Cleveland, OH $37,510 8% below national
73 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $37,210 9% below national
74 Binghamton, NY $37,170 9% below national
75 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $37,160 9% below national
76 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $37,130 9% below national
77 Wichita, KS $37,090 9% below national
78 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $37,060 10% below national
79 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $36,880 10% below national
80 Ogden, UT $36,810 10% below national
81 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $36,790 10% below national
82 York-Hanover, PA $36,410 11% below national
83 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $36,360 11% below national
84 Kansas nonmetropolitan area $36,350 11% below national
85 Tucson, AZ $36,280 11% below national
86 Springfield, MO $36,200 12% below national
87 Pittsburgh, PA $36,130 12% below national
88 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $36,000 12% below national
89 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $35,860 12% below national
90 Topeka, KS $35,810 13% below national
91 Albuquerque, NM $35,690 13% below national
92 Toledo, OH $35,470 13% below national
93 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $34,980 15% below national
94 Columbia, MO $34,770 15% below national
95 North Missouri nonmetropolitan area $34,600 16% below national
96 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $34,240 16% below national
97 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $33,600 18% below national
98 Tulsa, OK $33,320 19% below national
99 Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area $33,280 19% below national
100 Maryland nonmetropolitan area $32,470 21% below national
101 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $32,290 21% below national
102 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $32,060 22% below national
103 Manchester-Nashua, NH $31,040 24% below national
104 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $25,410 38% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 43 (office and administrative support) with comparable pay and career paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Office Machine Operators, Except Computer make?
The median annual salary for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer is $40,960 ($19.69/hour). The salary range spans from $31,750 at the 10th percentile to $57,960 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Office Machine Operators, Except Computer the most?
Alaska pays the highest median salary for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer at $56,010/year, which is +37% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Office Machine Operators, Except Computer?
The typical entry-level education for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Office Machine Operators, Except Computer?
Office Machine Operators, Except Computer has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1 per 100 workers.
Is Office Machine Operators, Except Computer a good career?
Employment for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer is projected to decline 15.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 2,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Office Machine Operators, Except Computer pay vary by state?
Office Machine Operators, Except Computer salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Alaska at $56,010/year, while Mississippi pays the least at $34,640/year. BLS data covers 48 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer?
The highest-paying metro area for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $53,810/year. BLS reports wage data for 104 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Office Machine Operators, Except Computer pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $47,910/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $56,010/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.