Office Machine Operators
O*NET title: Office Machine Operators, Except Computer
Operate one or more of a variety of office machines, such as photocopying, photographic, and duplicating machines, or other office machines.
Also called: Braille Coder, Braille Duplicating Machine Operator, Business Machine Operator, Check Embosser, Check Writing Machine Operator, Clerical Offset Duplicating Machine Operator
Median pay
$40,960
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$31,750 – $57,960
People employed
25,130
Holland code
CRI
Conventional · Realistic · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 2.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 3.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Office Machine Operators pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (46 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What office machine operators do
- 01Read job orders to determine the type of work to be done, the quantities to be produced, and the materials needed.
- 02Deliver completed work.
- 03Place original copies in feed trays, feed originals into feed rolls, or position originals on tables beneath camera lenses.
- 04Sort, assemble, and proof completed work.
- 05Operate office machines such as high speed business photocopiers, readers, scanners, addressing machines, stencil-cutting machines, microfilm readers or printers, folding and inserting machines, bursters, and binder machines.
- 06Complete records of production, including work volumes and outputs, materials used, and any backlogs.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
Knowledge
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Production and Processing
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from office machine operators
- Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators83% · −1%
- Print Binding and Finishing Workers81% · +3%
- Printing Press Operators80% · +12%
- Prepress Technicians and Workers78% · +19%
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators77% · +43%
Change into office machine operators
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators83% · $40,610
- Prepress Technicians and Workers77% · $48,690
- Motion Picture Projectionists76% · $38,270
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians74% · $39,460
- Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers69% · $47,450