SOC 51-9196.00

    Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    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.

    Median pay
    $50,270
    Growth
    -3.6%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    9,000
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    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
    $37,300
    Median
    $50,270
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $70,320
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    96,130 people work in this occupation.

    What paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    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.

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

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    92 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    12 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    4 / 100
    Social (S)
    0 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    8 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    59 / 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

    Controlling Machines and Processes
    86
    Handling and Moving Objects
    83
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    81
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    80
    Getting Information
    75
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    74
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    71
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    67
    Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
    67
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    67
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring
    • Operation and Control
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Monitoring
    • Speaking
    • Time Management
    • Active Learning
    • Complex Problem Solving

    Knowledge

    • Production and Processing
    • Mechanical
    • Mathematics
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Education and Training
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Administration and Management

    Abilities

    • Near Vision
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Control Precision
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Information Ordering
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Selective Attention
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Oral Comprehension

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance
    • Self-Control
    • Integrity
    • Adaptability
    • Initiative

    Also called

    Bag Machine Operator · Bag Machine Tender · Bag Maker · Bag Presser · Bag Valver · Bender Machine Operator · Binder · Box Brander · Box Fabricator · Box Finisher

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    Related careers

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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.