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Office machine operator: pay, job outlook and how to get in

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$40,960median pay per year, or $19.69 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $31,750lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,09025th percentile
  3. $40,960median
  4. $47,91075th percentile
  5. $57,960top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

An office machine operator (except computer) had a median pay of $40,960 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall 14.9% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-14.9%[2]
Openings per year
2,100[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do office machine operators make?

The median wage was $40,960 a year, or $19.69 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The mean (average) was higher, at $43,220 a year or $20.78 an hour[7].

The median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4], so this job's median is below that figure.

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[3][8] $31,750 $15.27
25th[3][8] $36,090 $17.35
75th[3][8] $47,910 $23.03
90th[3][8] $57,960 $27.87

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,750 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $57,960[3]. A percentile is a boundary between pay levels. BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, part-time and full-time. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10].

Pay by state and city

Alaska had the highest median annual wage at $56,010, followed by Vermont at $48,380 and Massachusetts at $47,470[11]. Alaska had 70 jobs and Vermont had 60, so those figures rest on small groups[11].

The most jobs were in New York (3,780), California (2,320) and New Jersey (1,570)[12]. New York had a median of $45,740 and California $47,150[11].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median at $53,810[13]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA was next at $48,310, then Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN at $48,060[13]. The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, with 3,630 jobs and a median of $45,750[14].

Show median pay in 46 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[11]$56,01070
Vermont$48,38060
Massachusetts$47,470n/a
California$47,1502,320
Colorado$46,860250
Washington$46,290340
Minnesota$45,890630
New York$45,7403,780
Rhode Island$45,56070
Nevada$45,33070
Maine$45,24060
North Carolina$44,480930
Illinois$44,3601,150
Montana$44,260120
West Virginia$43,14080
Oregon$42,910370
Virginia$41,920530
District of Columbia$41,460170
Iowa$41,330250
Tennessee$40,740230
Wisconsin$39,890550
New Jersey$39,3601,570
Delaware$39,200110
Kansas$39,050310
Nebraska$38,820100
Kentucky$38,640200
Ohio$38,380750
Florida$38,330560
Hawaii$38,170130
Indiana$37,860600
Connecticut$37,790n/a
Missouri$37,760880
Wyoming$37,47090
Texas$37,0601,550
Louisiana$36,96070
Michigan$36,880370
Georgia$36,7301,020
Pennsylvania$36,7201,230
Arkansas$36,520190
Utah$36,360240
Maryland$35,670580
New Mexico$35,140160
Oklahoma$34,810290
Mississippi$34,64090
South Carolina$33,870190
New Hampshire$32,590230
Arizona$32,060650

How to become an office machine operator

BLS describes the typical path like this[6]:

BLS does not say in our facts how long that training lasts, and no license is listed.

In an ONET survey of 16 workers, 68% said the job requires a high school diploma or equivalent, 17% said a bachelor's degree, 9% said a post-secondary certificate and 6% said an associate's degree[15]. That is a very small survey, so it gives only a rough picture. ONET places the work in Job Zone 1-2, which means little to some preparation is needed[16].

What office machine operators do

O*NET describes the job as running one or more kinds of office machines, including photocopying, photographic and duplicating machines[17]. Sample job titles include copy center operator, copy machine operator, reprographics technician and key operator[18].

Tasks O*NET lists include[19]:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 14.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 25,800 to 21,900 jobs[2]. That is a loss of about 3,800 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[20]. The projection counts include self-employed workers[2].

BLS names one factor behind the trend. Demand shrinks as more offices go paperless and rely on tools such as electronic filing systems[21].

Even so, BLS expects about 2,100 openings a year on average[5]. That count includes positions left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 4.8% of workers leave the labor force and 5.6% move to a different occupation[22].

The OEWS count of wage and salary jobs in May 2025 was about 25,130[23]. It differs from the projection count because the two measure different things[23][2].

O*NET lists related jobs such as printing press operators, with a median of $45,780 and projected change of -8.7%, and data entry keyers, with a median of $41,340 and projected change of -25.5%[24].

Is it a good fit?

The entry path is short, with a high school diploma, no related experience and training on the job[6]. Pay sits below the all-occupations median, and BLS projects a steep drop in jobs as offices use less paper[1][4][2][21]. Openings still arise each year as workers leave or change occupations[5][22]. Someone weighing the job may want to compare it with the related occupations O*NET lists, which have different pay and outlook[24].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an office machine operator make an hour?
The median was $19.69 an hour and the mean was $20.78 an hour in May 2025[1][7].
What education do you need to be an office machine operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with short-term on-the-job training[6].
Is office machine operator a growing job?
BLS projects employment to decline 14.9% from 2025 to 2035[2]. It still expects about 2,100 openings a year[5].
What is the highest paying state for office machine operators?
Alaska had the highest median annual wage at $56,010, based on 70 jobs[11]. Vermont was next at $48,380[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer in the US was $40,960 per year and $19.69 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Office Machine Operators, Except Computer is projected to decline 14.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 25,800 to 21,900 jobs (a change of -3,800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer: 10th percentile $31,750, 25th percentile $36,090, 75th percentile $47,910, 90th percentile $57,960. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,100 openings for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Office Machine Operators, Except Computer: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer was $43,220 per year and $20.78 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer: 10th percentile $15.27, 25th percentile $17.35, 75th percentile $23.03, 90th percentile $27.87. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Office Machine Operators, Except Computer jobs: New York 3,780; California 2,320; New Jersey 1,570; Texas 1,550; Pennsylvania 1,230. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $53,810; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $48,310; Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $48,060; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $47,440; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $47,320; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $47,270; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $47,130; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $46,530. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Office Machine Operators, Except Computer jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 3,630 (median $45,750); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 850 (median $44,370); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 850 (median $48,310); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 700 (median $37,210); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 680 (median $38,620); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 630 (median $40,980). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 43-9071.00 survey of workers (16 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 68%, Bachelor's Degree 17%, Post-Secondary Certificate 9%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 43-9071.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Office Machine Operators, Except Computer. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 43-9071.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Copy Center Operator, Copy Machine Operator, Copy Technician, Graphics Production Specialist, Key Operator, Machine Operator, Printing Services Coordinator, Reprographics Technician. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Office Machine Operators, Except Computer: Demand change - share decreases as more offices become paperless and continue to use technology such as electronic filing systems. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Office Machine Operators, Except Computer: 4.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 25,130 people were employed as Office Machine Operators, Except Computer in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.