How much does a machine feeders and offbearer make?

The median pay is $19.82 per hour — roughly $41,000 a year, with the real range running from about $15.49/hr (10th percentile) to $27.96/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a machine feeders and offbearer?

The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a machine feeders and offbearer actually do all day?

Inspect materials and products for defects, and to ensure conformance to specifications. Record production and operational data, such as amount of materials processed. Push dual control buttons and move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment.

Transportation

Machine Feeders and Offbearers

Feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers.

What it pays
Machine Feeders and Offbearers earn a median of $19.82/hr — about $41,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $15.49/hr; the top 10% earn $27.96/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Inspect materials and products for defects, and to ensure conformance to specifications.
Record production and operational data, such as amount of materials processed.
Push dual control buttons and move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment.
Weigh or measure materials or products to ensure conformance to specifications.
Identify and mark materials, products, and samples, following instructions.
Clean and maintain machinery, equipment, and work areas to ensure proper functioning and safe working conditions.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0.9% of machine feeders and offbearers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.

Related careers

Quick questions

How much does a machine feeders and offbearer make?: The median pay is $19.82 per hour — roughly $41,000 a year, with the real range running from about $15.49/hr (10th percentile) to $27.96/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a machine feeders and offbearer?: The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
What does a machine feeders and offbearer actually do all day?: Inspect materials and products for defects, and to ensure conformance to specifications. Record production and operational data, such as amount of materials processed. Push dual control buttons and move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.