SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-7063.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $32,220 | $2,685 | $620 | $15.49 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $36,420 | $3,035 | $700 | $17.51 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $41,220 | $3,435 | $793 | $19.82 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $48,480 | $4,040 | $932 | $23.31 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $58,160 | $4,847 | $1,118 | $27.96 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Machine Feeders and Offbearers is $41,220, which is 19% lower. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 38 by median pay. With 42,330 jobs, it makes up about 2.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Machine Feeders and Offbearers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Wisconsin ($55,120), Wyoming ($51,280) and Minnesota ($48,740). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,400), Maine ($32,310) and Rhode Island ($32,770). The most jobs were in California (4,830), Texas (3,100) and Ohio (2,930). The occupation is most concentrated in South Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 5.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 570 | $55,120 | $53,190 | $26.50 |
| Wyoming | 30 | $51,280 | $49,020 | $24.66 |
| Minnesota | 410 | $48,740 | $50,070 | $23.43 |
| Colorado | 650 | $48,400 | $46,230 | $23.27 |
| Kansas | 430 | $47,930 | $48,280 | $23.04 |
| Missouri | 1,280 | $46,580 | $50,650 | $22.39 |
| New Hampshire | 200 | $46,580 | $46,670 | $22.39 |
| Washington | 1,040 | $45,600 | $46,370 | $21.92 |
| Oregon | 2,390 | $45,580 | $45,150 | $21.91 |
| Nebraska | 210 | $45,470 | $41,710 | $21.86 |
| Arkansas | 1,580 | $45,250 | $43,290 | $21.75 |
| Iowa | 560 | $45,250 | $46,110 | $21.75 |
| Ohio | 2,930 | $45,130 | $45,910 | $21.70 |
| New Jersey | 850 | $44,890 | $44,260 | $21.58 |
| Delaware | 30 | $44,110 | $50,540 | $21.21 |
| Massachusetts | 620 | $43,510 | $43,270 | $20.92 |
| New York | 770 | $43,450 | $43,770 | $20.89 |
| Louisiana | 130 | $43,370 | $43,030 | $20.85 |
| Idaho | 170 | $42,580 | $44,030 | $20.47 |
| Michigan | 740 | $42,320 | $42,670 | $20.35 |
| Kentucky | 980 | $42,200 | $45,470 | $20.29 |
| Maryland | 110 | $41,590 | $44,490 | $19.99 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,390 | $41,220 | $44,210 | $19.82 |
| Nevada | 150 | $40,550 | $42,660 | $19.50 |
| Tennessee | 450 | $40,400 | $40,620 | $19.42 |
| California | 4,830 | $40,380 | $44,290 | $19.41 |
| Arizona | 170 | $40,250 | $40,730 | $19.35 |
| Utah | 140 | $40,160 | $41,690 | $19.31 |
| Georgia | 1,550 | $39,360 | $40,800 | $18.93 |
| West Virginia | 180 | $39,360 | $35,500 | $18.92 |
| South Dakota | 660 | $39,310 | $39,770 | $18.90 |
| Alabama | 2,160 | $38,810 | $39,980 | $18.66 |
| Mississippi | 670 | $38,340 | $40,520 | $18.43 |
| South Carolina | 680 | $38,050 | $41,400 | $18.29 |
| Indiana | 2,800 | $37,850 | $39,970 | $18.20 |
| North Carolina | 2,040 | $37,370 | $38,380 | $17.97 |
| Texas | 3,100 | $37,350 | $39,090 | $17.96 |
| Connecticut | 120 | $36,950 | $39,470 | $17.76 |
| Oklahoma | 310 | $36,680 | $37,220 | $17.63 |
| Virginia | 1,340 | $36,290 | $37,880 | $17.45 |
| Florida | 1,110 | $35,110 | $39,120 | $16.88 |
| Rhode Island | not published | $32,770 | $38,510 | $15.76 |
| Maine | 210 | $32,310 | $38,260 | $15.54 |
| Puerto Rico | 50 | $22,400 | $24,120 | $10.77 |
| Illinois | 1,450 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Conveyor Operators and Tenders$42,420 a year
- Taxi Drivers$42,100 a year
- Material Moving Workers, All Other$41,800 a year
- Aircraft Service Attendants$40,450 a year
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240 a year
- Driver/Sales Workers$38,770 a year
Common questions
How much do Machine Feeders and Offbearers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $41,220 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $32,220 and the highest-paid 10% more than $58,160.
How many people work as Machine Feeders and Offbearers?
About 42,330 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.