Who Earns What

How much does a machine feeder make?

US Machine Feeders and Offbearers
$41,220

a year · about $20 an hour

A typical machine feeder in the United States makes $41,220 a year, about $20 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

What do they do?

Feeders load material onto a conveyor or into a machine, then take finished items off the line. They check products for flaws, record how much was processed, and clean the equipment or work area.

Did you know? O*NET reports that 94% of surveyed workers wear protective gear every day, such as safety glasses, gloves, or hearing protection.

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know
This job$41,220
Typical worker$50,980
Elementary teacher$63,970
Doctor$244,180
Cashier$32,880

If 100 people had this job

Most earn between $32,220 and $58,160
56 of 100
more than half

How do you become one?

A high school diploma or GED is common; new hires learn on the job, with training lasting days to a year. There is no single starting age: federal rules bar under-18s from certain hazardous machines, and state rules may be stricter.

School needed: High school plus some training

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, pay can differ with experience and skill, the employer’s industry, and where the job is located. A factory or warehouse job, more complex tasks, or extra responsibility can also make a difference.

Where does it pay most?

Highest in Wisconsin ($55,120), lowest in Florida ($35,110).

See every state
Whole US$41,220
Wisconsin$55,120
Colorado$48,400
Missouri$46,580
Washington$45,600
Oregon$45,580
Texas$37,350
Virginia$36,290
Florida$35,110

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

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Who earns more?
Data table and sources
Machine feeder pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$32,220$41,220$58,160about 42,000
States where machine feeders earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Wisconsin$55,120about 570
Colorado$48,400about 650
Missouri$46,580about 1,000
Washington$45,600about 1,000
Oregon$45,580about 2,000

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

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY