SOC 53-7063.00

    Machine Feeders and Offbearers

    Feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers.

    Median pay
    $41,220
    Growth
    -13.1%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    4,000
    Typical education
    No formal credential

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $32,220
    Median
    $41,220
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $58,160
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    42,330 people work in this occupation.

    What machine feeders and offbearers do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    99 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    18 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    0 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    0 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    58 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Handling and Moving Objects
    76
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    72
    Getting Information
    62
    Performing General Physical Activities
    61
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    59
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    58
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    57
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    56
    Documenting/Recording Information
    50
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    49
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring
    • Monitoring
    • Active Listening
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Troubleshooting
    • Operation and Control
    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking

    Knowledge

    • Production and Processing
    • Mechanical
    • Mathematics
    • English Language
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Education and Training
    • Administrative
    • Administration and Management
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Personnel and Human Resources

    Abilities

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Control Precision
    • Rate Control
    • Reaction Time
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Expression
    • Information Ordering
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Integrity
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Cooperation
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Perseverance
    • Self-Control
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Acid Dumper · Archery Equipment Hay Sorter · Assembly Machine Operator · Automatic Glove Turner and Former · Automatic Nail Polish Brush Machine Feeder · Automatic Nailing Machine Feeder · Automatic Spooler Operator · Automatic Stacker · Back Tender · Ball Machine Operator

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    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.