Explore This Path

Paper Good Machine Operator

💰 Earn $47K-$59K

📚 High School Diploma or GED

⏱️ 6–12 Month Training

📈 -6.3% Job Growth

Ideal for those who love hands-on work and precision in manufacturing processes.
Transform raw paper into essential products, impacting daily life and industries.
Master unique machines that shape, seal, and perfect paper goods.

What Paper Good Machine Operators DoSet 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.

Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.
Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.
Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools.
Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting.

Paper Good Machine Operators Education, Salary, and Growth

Minimum EducationHigh School Diploma or GED

Career ProspectsRisky (Decreasing by 5% or more)

Training Time6 months to 1 year

Job Openings8,100 Annually

Median Earnings

$50,030 in California

$49,390 Nationally

$25K

$50K

$75K

$100K

$125K

$150K

$175K

$200K

$225K

$250K

Only you can decide how much you need to earn — but knowing what it actually costs to live in your area can help. The Family Budget Calculator can guide you.

Is This Career Right For You?

YOU Like

Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

you value

Having support
Having freedom
Personal relationships

you are skilled in

Operation and Control
Operations Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Service Orientation
Time Management

Go Deeper: Paper Good Machine Operators Explained

Paper Good Machine OperatorExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

ApprenticeshipAn apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ Finish in 2-5 years

find training near you

Find local programs, apprenticeships, or degrees to start your path.

Location

Enter your location to see training near you

What Is the Building & Distribution Industry?