Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay in California
$51,600avg. a year
$24.81 an hour · 5,570 employed
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in California earn an average of $51,600 a year. That is $1,240 (2%) less than the U.S. average of $52,840. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $56,680.
$48,730Median pay
$24.81Average hourly
+28%Avg. pay since 2020
#27Of 43 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders by metro area. Swipe to see all 10.
1240 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$56,680
$27.25 an hour
2370 jobs
Modesto, CA
$56,020
$26.93 an hour
3230 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$53,670
$25.80 an hour
4200 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$52,160
$25.08 an hour
52,060 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$51,490
$24.76 an hour
6780 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$51,030
$24.53 an hour
7300 jobs
Visalia, CA
$50,410
$24.24 an hour
8330 jobs
Fresno, CA
$48,770
$23.45 an hour
9150 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$48,600
$23.37 an hour
10250 jobs
Salinas, CA
$46,720
$22.46 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
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Under $49k$49k–$52k$52k–$55k$55k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $52,840 | $25.40 |
| California | $51,600 | $24.81 |
| Oregon | $58,860 | $28.30 |
| Nevada | $49,080 | $23.59 |
| Arizona | $47,450 | $22.81 |
Related jobs in California
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$59,540
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,050
- Production Workers, All Other$48,570
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,400
- Helpers--Production Workers$46,150
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,030
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make in California?
The average is $51,600 a year, and the median is $48,730. That is $1,240 (2%) less than the U.S. average of $52,840.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$24.81 an hour on average; the median is $23.43.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($56,680), followed by Modesto, CA ($56,020). The lowest average among 10 metro areas with data is Salinas, CA ($46,720).
How does California rank?
California ranks #27 of 43 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 51-9196. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.