Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Office machine operators, except computer, work in a relatively small occupation, with national employment of about 26,000 people. The field is projected to contract, with employment growth of -15.2%. Even with this decline, there are an estimated 3,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing hiring needs. The national median annual salary is $39,020, with higher typical pay available in some states and metro areas. Career paths in this role can appeal to people who are comfortable working with mechanical systems and have solid attention to detail. The top skills linked to this occupation blend hands-on capabilities, like mechanical knowledge, fine motor skills, and physical strength and stamina, with cognitive and interpersonal strengths such as mathematics, customer service, writing and reading, interpersonal skills, and project management. Creativity and innovation, along with computers and information technology skills, are also important. Overall, this career offers options for candidates who meet the skill profile and are comfortable pursuing roles in locations where opportunity scores and salaries are relatively stronger.
The national median annual salary for office machine operators, except computer, is $39,020. Pay levels vary meaningfully by state and metro area. Among the top states by opportunity score, California shows a median salary of $47,150 and New York $45,740. Colorado, Washington, and Virginia also sit above the national median, with salaries of $46,860, $46,290, and $41,920 respectively. At the metro level, typical earnings can be higher still. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont reports a median salary of $53,810, and Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim shows $48,310. New York–Newark–Jersey City, Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue, and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria all offer median salaries above or close to the top state figures. These patterns suggest that candidates willing to target specific high-opportunity regions may find stronger earning potential, while those in other areas may see pay closer to the national median.
Office machine operators, except computer, currently account for about 26,000 jobs nationally. The occupation is projected to see employment growth of -15.2%, indicating a shrinking overall job count over the projection period. Despite this decline, the field is expected to generate about 3,000 annual openings. These annual openings indicate that employers continue to hire for this role, even as total employment falls. For job seekers, this means that opportunities may still be available, particularly where there is ongoing turnover or replacement hiring. However, the negative growth rate suggests that competition for long-term roles may be stronger, and openings may be more concentrated in certain employers or regions. Candidates may benefit from focusing on locations and organizations that continue to show relatively higher opportunity scores and stable employment levels for this occupation.
Location choices significantly shape the outlook for office machine operators, except computer. Among states, California and New York stand out with the highest CareerGPS opportunity scores, 67.38 and 65.78, along with relatively higher median salaries of $47,150 and $45,740. They also have larger employment bases of 2,320 and 3,780 jobs. Colorado, Washington, and Virginia offer smaller employment levels—ranging from 250 to 530—but still maintain opportunity scores in the mid‑50s and salaries above the national median. At the metro level, New York–Newark–Jersey City leads with an opportunity score of 77.27, median salary of $45,750, and employment of 3,630. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont combines a high median salary of $53,810 with an opportunity score of 68.75. Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue all show opportunity scores above 60. Job seekers who can be flexible geographically may find more favorable combinations of pay, opportunity score, and job concentration in these highlighted metros and states.
The typical education requirement for office machine operators, except computer, is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the field accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education but may not have a college degree. However, success in the occupation depends on a mix of technical, physical, and interpersonal skills. Key skills associated with this role include mechanical abilities, fine motor skills, and physical strength and stamina, reflecting the hands-on nature of the work. Mathematics skills support accuracy and problem-solving, while computers and information technology skills indicate the need to work with modern office systems. Customer service, writing and reading, and interpersonal skills support communication and service quality. Project management skills, along with creativity and innovation, suggest value in organizing tasks effectively and improving processes or solutions within the role. Together, these skills help define a candidate profile that aligns with employer expectations for this occupation.
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