Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in Wausau, WI
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the Wausau, WI metro area earn a median of $61,070 a year ($29.36 an hour), based on BLS data for 430 workers.
Pay ranges from $49,560 for the lowest-paid 10% to $80,870 for the top 10%. That is 21% higher than the national median of $50,270. Pay here is 5% higher than the Wisconsin statewide median of $58,050. There are 6.2 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 10.0× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $62,350, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Wausau, WI
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,560 | $23.83 |
| 25th percentile | $50,950 | $24.50 |
| Median | $61,070 | $29.36 |
| 75th percentile | $77,600 | $37.31 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $80,870 | $38.88 |
| Average (mean) | $62,350 | $29.98 |
Half of paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,089.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,544.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,348.85 |
| Weekly | $1,174.42 |
| Hourly | $29.36 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $61,070 salary, see how much house you can afford in Wisconsin at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $59,550 | 710 |
| Green Bay, WI | $59,230 | 1,740 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $58,560 | 1,670 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $58,050 | 380 |
| Kenosha, WI | $57,910 | 300 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $57,840 | 1,280 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $54,410 | 920 |
| Madison, WI | $49,220 | 90 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $47,320 | 180 |
Highest-paying states for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $63,640 |
| Maine | $61,780 |
| Utah | $60,790 |
| Washington | $59,410 |
| Louisiana | $58,230 |
| Minnesota | $58,150 |
| Kentucky | $58,050 |
| Wisconsin | $58,050 |
| Idaho | $57,950 |
| Oregon | $56,810 |
See Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay in every state or the Wisconsin statewide figures.
Related jobs in Wausau, WI
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $50,250 | $24.16 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $46,030 | $22.13 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,370 | $22.77 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $57,330 | $27.56 |
| Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $69,080 | $33.21 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $46,180 | $22.20 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,100 | $21.68 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $48,790 | $23.46 |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $46,120 | $22.17 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer | $59,160 | $28.44 |
| Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $51,980 | $24.99 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $45,670 | $21.96 |
| Food Batchmaker | $48,560 | $23.35 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $73,790 | $35.48 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-9196. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Wausau, WI?
The median salary for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in the Wausau, WI metro area is $61,070 a year, or $29.36 an hour. Pay ranges from $49,560 for the lowest-paid 10% to $80,870 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Wausau, WI?
The top 10% of paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in the Wausau, WI metro area earn at least $80,870 a year. The top 25% earn $77,600 or more.
What is the starting pay for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Wausau, WI?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $49,560 a year, and a quarter of paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $50,950 or less.
How many paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders work in Wausau, WI?
About 430 paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders are employed in the Wausau, WI metro area, not counting the self-employed.