The median pay for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer is $40,960 a year ($19.69/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 14.9% through 2035, with about 2,100 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-9071
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Office Machine Operator, Except Computer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $40,960a year, or $19.69/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $32KTop 10% $58K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -14.9%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−14.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −14.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,10025,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202525.8K
- Projected 203521.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 25.8K Projected 2035 21.9K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school67.7%
- Certificate9%
- Associate's5.8%
- Bachelor's17.4%
Highest education held by office machine operators, except computer Segment Value High school 67.7% Certificate 9% Associate's 5.8% Bachelor's 17.4%
Also advertised as: Copy Center Operator, Copy Machine Operator, Copy Technician, Graphics Production Specialist, Key Operator, Machine Operator.
Pay
How much do Office Machine Operators, Except Computer make?
Every office machine operator, except computer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$40,960
Middle half earn $36,090 to $47,910
- 10th
- $31,750
- 25th
- $36,090
- 75th
- $47,910
- 90th
- $57,960
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $31,750 |
| 25th | $36,090 |
| Median | $40,960 |
| 75th | $47,910 |
| 90th | $57,960 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $40,960
- Median hourly wage
- $19.69/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $43,220
- People employed
- 25,130
Versus all US occupations
At $40,960, Office Machine Operators, Except Computer earn 20% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $10,020 a year.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 17% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $57,960 or more while the bottom 10% earn $31,750, a gap of 1.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 8% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $56,010, and still leads at $54,719 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Office Machine Operators, Except Computer the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $56,010 | $54,719 | 70 |
| 2Vermont | $48,380 | $49,389 | 60 |
| 3Massachusetts | $47,470 | $44,886 | N/A |
| 4California | $47,150 | $42,585 | 2,320 |
| 5Colorado | $46,860 | $45,472 | 250 |
| 6Washington | $46,290 | $43,256 | 340 |
| 7Minnesota | $45,890 | $46,532 | 630 |
| 8New York | $45,740 | $42,383 | 3,780 |
| 9Rhode Island | $45,560 | $44,544 | 70 |
| 10Nevada | $45,330 | $45,340 | 70 |
Job outlook
Is Office Machine Operator, Except Computer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -14.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Office Machine Operators, Except Computer | −14.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Office Machine Operators, Except Computer to change -14.9% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 3,800 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,100 openings are projected each year, 8.1% of the 25,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Office Machine Operator, Except Computer
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as office machine operators, except computer.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)67.7%
- Bachelor's Degree17.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate9%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree5.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 67.7% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 17.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 9% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 5.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Office Machine Operator, Except Computer do?
Operate one or more of a variety of office machines, such as photocopying, photographic, and duplicating machines, or other office machines.
Day-to-day tasks
- 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.
- 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.
- Read job orders to determine the type of work to be done, the quantities to be produced, and the materials needed.
- Operate auxiliary machines such as collators, pad and tablet making machines, staplers, and paper punching, folding, cutting, and perforating machines.
- Maintain stock of supplies, and requisition any needed items.
- Monitor machine operation, and make adjustments as necessary to ensure proper operation.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Writing2.9
- Active Learning2.8
- Mathematics2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.3
- Operations Monitoring3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Coordination2.8
- Service Orientation2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.3 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
| Service Orientation | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Desktop communications software
- Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Office Machine Operator, Except Computer?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Office Machine Operator, Except Computer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 7 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Conventional6.6
- Realistic4.5
- Investigative2.1
- Enterprising2.1
- Social1.7
- Artistic1.2
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Office Machine Operator, Except Computer
O*NET related occupations
- Production
- Production
- Office and Administrative Support
- Production
Photographic Process Worker and Processing Machine Operator
$40,610median a year
Most earn $30K to $69K
−5.6%High school - Production
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairer
$47,810median a year
Most earn $36K to $72K
−3.0%Some college
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with office machine operators, except computer highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Teller$43,030
- Office Machine Operator, Except Computer$40,960
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Office Machine Operator, Except Computer | $40,960 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Office Machine Operator, Except Computer appears on
Questions
Office Machine Operator, Except Computer: frequently asked questions
How much do Office Machine Operators, Except Computer make?
Office Machine Operators, Except Computer earn a median of $40,960 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 20% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $19.69/hr. The middle half earn between $36,090 and $47,910. The top 10% earn $57,960 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Office Machine Operator, Except Computer?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 67.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Office Machine Operator, Except Computer a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 14.9% over 2025–2035, a loss of 3,800 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Office Machine Operator, Except Computer do?
Operate one or more of a variety of office machines, such as photocopying, photographic, and duplicating machines, or other office machines. A core O*NET task: sort, assemble, and proof completed work. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Desktop publishing software, Document management software.
Which states pay Office Machine Operators, Except Computer the most?
The highest state medians for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer are Alaska ($56,010), Vermont ($48,380), Massachusetts ($47,470) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Office Machine Operator, Except Computer?
O*NET scores Office Machine Operators, Except Computer highest on the Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.