Machine Feeders and Offbearers
Machine Feeders and Offbearers (SOC 53-7063) earn a median $41,220 a year ($19.82 an hour) in the United States, with 42,330 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Wisconsin.
What machine feeders and offbearers do
Machine feeders and offbearers supply materials to machines or take finished items away from them, where the machine is automatic or is tended by another worker. The feeder puts materials into the machine, and the offbearer takes materials out of it. Workers press dual-control buttons and move controls to start, stop, or adjust the equipment, and they weigh or measure materials, mark samples and products so they can be identified, and check them for defects against specifications. They load materials into machines or onto conveyors with hand tools, move them to and from the equipment with industrial or hand trucks, and record production data such as amounts processed, and clean and maintain the machine and surrounding work area so it remains safe. O*NET lists very specific titles such as acid dumper, automatic glove turner, and assembly machine operator, which shows how widely the job varies by industry. This code covers the work of feeding materials in and removing them, and the O*NET alternate titles run from acid dumper to automatic stacker.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Acid Dumper, Archery Equipment Hay Sorter, Assembly Machine Operator, Automatic Glove Turner and Former, Automatic Nail Polish Brush Machine Feeder.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.49 | $17.51 | $19.82 | $23.31 | $27.96 | $20.99 | 42,330 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $36,420 | $41,220 | $48,480 | $58,160 | $43,660 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where machine feeders and offbearers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $20.22 | $24.23 | $26.50 | $28.46 | $28.80 | $25.57 | 570 | 0.19 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $42,050 | $50,390 | $55,120 | $59,190 | $59,910 | $53,190 | ||||
| Wyoming | Hourly | $20.86 | $23.21 | $24.66 | $24.89 | $24.89 | $23.57 | 30 | 0.12 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $43,400 | $48,280 | $51,280 | $51,770 | $51,780 | $49,020 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $19.05 | $22.48 | $23.43 | $26.26 | $27.73 | $24.07 | 410 | 0.14 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $39,620 | $46,760 | $48,740 | $54,620 | $57,680 | $50,070 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $17.66 | $18.28 | $23.27 | $26.06 | $27.46 | $22.23 | 650 | 0.23 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $36,740 | $38,010 | $48,400 | $54,200 | $57,110 | $46,230 | ||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $17.47 | $23.01 | $23.04 | $24.43 | $26.92 | $23.21 | 430 | 0.30 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $36,330 | $47,860 | $47,930 | $50,810 | $56,000 | $48,280 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.74 | $18.41 | $19.41 | $23.66 | $27.91 | $21.29 | 4,830 | 0.27 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $36,900 | $38,290 | $40,380 | $49,210 | $58,050 | $44,290 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.62 | $16.60 | $17.96 | $20.64 | $23.55 | $18.79 | 3,100 | 0.22 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $30,410 | $34,520 | $37,350 | $42,940 | $48,990 | $39,090 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $16.37 | $18.15 | $21.70 | $26.97 | $29.04 | $22.07 | 2,930 | 0.53 | 1.94 |
| Annual | $34,040 | $37,760 | $45,130 | $56,100 | $60,410 | $45,910 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $15.03 | $16.97 | $18.20 | $21.24 | $25.04 | $19.22 | 2,800 | 0.88 | 3.22 |
| Annual | $31,270 | $35,290 | $37,850 | $44,180 | $52,090 | $39,970 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $15.99 | $18.78 | $21.91 | $23.66 | $27.21 | $21.71 | 2,390 | 1.21 | 4.46 |
| Annual | $33,260 | $39,070 | $45,580 | $49,200 | $56,590 | $45,150 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kansas City, MO-KS | Hourly | $18.95 | $20.69 | $37.07 | $37.07 | $37.07 | $30.12 | 540 | 0.49 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $39,420 | $43,030 | $77,100 | $77,100 | $77,100 | $62,650 | ||||
| Columbus, OH | Hourly | $18.35 | $22.95 | $29.04 | $29.09 | $29.20 | $25.54 | 560 | 0.50 | 1.85 |
| Annual | $38,170 | $47,740 | $60,410 | $60,500 | $60,730 | $53,130 | ||||
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | Hourly | $21.42 | $23.94 | $28.79 | $29.08 | $29.08 | $26.68 | 80 | 0.10 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $44,550 | $49,790 | $59,870 | $60,490 | $60,490 | $55,500 | ||||
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | Hourly | $16.93 | $16.97 | $28.34 | $29.17 | $29.23 | $24.49 | 90 | 0.24 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $35,220 | $35,290 | $58,960 | $60,680 | $60,790 | $50,930 | ||||
| Williamsport, PA | Hourly | $15.11 | $16.79 | $26.12 | $28.25 | $28.25 | $22.74 | 60 | 1.17 | 4.30 |
| Annual | $31,420 | $34,920 | $54,340 | $58,760 | $58,760 | $47,300 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.03 | $18.07 | $18.56 | $23.44 | $28.19 | $20.87 | 1,480 | 0.24 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $35,420 | $37,590 | $38,600 | $48,740 | $58,640 | $43,410 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,410 | 0.31 | 1.15 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $15.78 | $17.04 | $19.42 | $19.89 | $25.09 | $19.50 | 1,000 | 0.25 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $32,820 | $35,440 | $40,400 | $41,380 | $52,190 | $40,560 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $18.73 | $18.73 | $18.74 | $21.57 | $23.90 | $20.12 | 910 | 0.53 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $38,960 | $38,960 | $38,980 | $44,870 | $49,710 | $41,850 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $15.99 | $15.99 | $21.05 | $23.59 | $29.19 | $20.89 | 630 | 0.52 | 1.92 |
| Annual | $33,250 | $33,250 | $43,780 | $49,060 | $60,710 | $43,450 | ||||
Top industries employing machine feeders and offbearers
Warehousing and Storage employ 15.0% of machine feeders and offbearers nationally (6,360 jobs) at a median $49,470 a year ($23.78 an hour), followed by Animal Slaughtering and Processing (12.0%) and Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (7.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warehousing and Storage NAICS 493100 | 6,360 | 15.0% | $49,470 | $23.78 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 5,080 | 12.0% | $38,040 | $18.29 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing NAICS 322200 | 3,330 | 7.9% | $44,820 | $21.55 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 2,840 | 6.7% | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities NAICS 323100 | 2,490 | 5.9% | $37,990 | $18.27 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (42,330). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,010 for machine feeders and offbearers in May 2021 and $41,220 in May 2025, with employment of 60,880 and 42,330.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,010 | $17.79 | 60,880 |
| May 2022 | $38,040 | $18.29 | 51,010 |
| May 2023 | $39,250 | $18.87 | 44,500 |
| May 2024 | $39,700 | $19.09 | 46,690 |
| May 2025 | $41,220 | $19.82 | 42,330 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
44 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin profile | $26.50 | $55,120 | $42,050 | $59,910 | 570 | 0.19 | 0.71 |
| 2 | Wyoming profile | $24.66 | $51,280 | $43,400 | $51,780 | 30 | 0.12 | 0.43 |
| 3 | Minnesota profile | $23.43 | $48,740 | $39,620 | $57,680 | 410 | 0.14 | 0.51 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $23.27 | $48,400 | $36,740 | $57,110 | 650 | 0.23 | 0.83 |
| 5 | Kansas profile | $23.04 | $47,930 | $36,330 | $56,000 | 430 | 0.30 | 1.11 |
| 6 | Missouri profile | $22.39 | $46,580 | $31,200 | $77,100 | 1,280 | 0.44 | 1.61 |
| 7 | New Hampshire profile | $22.39 | $46,580 | $28,670 | $59,690 | 200 | 0.29 | 1.07 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $21.92 | $45,600 | $38,790 | $56,300 | 1,040 | 0.29 | 1.08 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $21.91 | $45,580 | $33,260 | $56,590 | 2,390 | 1.21 | 4.46 |
| 10 | Nebraska profile | $21.86 | $45,470 | $34,970 | $47,430 | 210 | 0.21 | 0.76 |
| 11 | Arkansas profile | $21.75 | $45,250 | $33,280 | $49,760 | 1,580 | 1.21 | 4.44 |
| 12 | Iowa profile | $21.75 | $45,250 | $34,540 | $56,850 | 560 | 0.36 | 1.32 |
| 13 | Ohio profile | $21.70 | $45,130 | $34,040 | $60,410 | 2,930 | 0.53 | 1.94 |
| 14 | New Jersey profile | $21.58 | $44,890 | $34,630 | $56,580 | 850 | 0.20 | 0.72 |
| 15 | Delaware profile | $21.21 | $44,110 | $33,230 | $64,170 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.24 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $20.92 | $43,510 | $38,110 | $47,070 | 620 | 0.17 | 0.62 |
| 17 | New York profile | $20.89 | $43,450 | $32,240 | $56,790 | 770 | 0.08 | 0.29 |
| 18 | Louisiana profile | $20.85 | $43,370 | $28,010 | $52,620 | 130 | 0.07 | 0.25 |
| 19 | Idaho profile | $20.47 | $42,580 | $36,030 | $55,420 | 170 | 0.20 | 0.74 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $20.35 | $42,320 | $32,910 | $47,870 | 740 | 0.17 | 0.62 |
| 21 | Kentucky profile | $20.29 | $42,200 | $35,340 | $65,650 | 980 | 0.49 | 1.79 |
| 22 | Maryland profile | $19.99 | $41,590 | $31,340 | $61,040 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.15 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $19.82 | $41,220 | $32,230 | $58,920 | 1,390 | 0.23 | 0.84 |
| 24 | Nevada profile | $19.50 | $40,550 | $31,700 | $47,860 | 150 | 0.10 | 0.37 |
| 25 | Tennessee profile | $19.42 | $40,400 | $28,790 | $50,980 | 450 | 0.14 | 0.51 |
| 26 | California profile | $19.41 | $40,380 | $36,900 | $58,050 | 4,830 | 0.27 | 0.97 |
| 27 | Arizona profile | $19.35 | $40,250 | $35,690 | $45,800 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.19 |
| 28 | Utah profile | $19.31 | $40,160 | $33,930 | $54,400 | 140 | 0.08 | 0.29 |
| 29 | Georgia profile | $18.93 | $39,360 | $31,060 | $51,700 | 1,550 | 0.32 | 1.17 |
| 30 | West Virginia profile | $18.92 | $39,360 | $27,810 | $39,460 | 180 | 0.26 | 0.94 |
| 31 | South Dakota profile | $18.90 | $39,310 | $34,690 | $43,720 | 660 | 1.43 | 5.27 |
| 32 | Alabama profile | $18.66 | $38,810 | $29,310 | $50,110 | 2,160 | 1.02 | 3.75 |
| 33 | Mississippi profile | $18.43 | $38,340 | $31,320 | $49,200 | 670 | 0.58 | 2.11 |
| 34 | South Carolina profile | $18.29 | $38,050 | $29,760 | $66,130 | 680 | 0.29 | 1.08 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $18.20 | $37,850 | $31,270 | $52,090 | 2,800 | 0.88 | 3.22 |
| 36 | North Carolina profile | $17.97 | $37,370 | $30,260 | $48,130 | 2,040 | 0.41 | 1.51 |
| 37 | Texas profile | $17.96 | $37,350 | $30,410 | $48,990 | 3,100 | 0.22 | 0.81 |
| 38 | Connecticut profile | $17.76 | $36,950 | $34,970 | $46,640 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.26 |
| 39 | Oklahoma profile | $17.63 | $36,680 | $29,700 | $45,760 | 310 | 0.18 | 0.67 |
| 40 | Virginia profile | $17.45 | $36,290 | $30,260 | $49,600 | 1,340 | 0.33 | 1.20 |
| 41 | Florida profile | $16.88 | $35,110 | $30,570 | $52,280 | 1,110 | 0.11 | 0.41 |
| 42 | Rhode Island profile | $15.76 | $32,770 | $31,200 | $50,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| 43 | Maine profile | $15.54 | $32,310 | $32,310 | $46,280 | 210 | 0.32 | 1.19 |
| – | Illinois profile | * | * | * | * | 1,450 | 0.24 | 0.87 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-7060), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-7063 Machine Feeders and Offbearers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-7063, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7063.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.