Paper and wood machine operatives: salary in the UK
About £26,198 a year after tax (England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2026/27)
median salary a year, full-time, +5.2% on last year
£2,625 a month About £2,183 a month after tax 11 thousand full-time jobs
Gross pay before tax, including bonuses, commission and overtime. Not included: benefits in kind such as a company car. About the data
Pay range
The dark part is the middle half of full-time employees (25% to 75%); the light bar runs from 10% to 90%. ONS doesn't publish the highest or lowest salary, and x means a figure wasn't published.
Pay by year
The median went from £23,222 in 2021 to £31,498 in 2026 (+36%); for all full-time employees in the UK it changed by +31% over the same years.
Figures by year
| P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | x | £20,050 | £23,222 | £28,023 | x |
| 2022 | x | £21,500 | £25,435 | x | x |
| 2023 | x | x | £27,993 | x | x |
| 2024 | x | £24,423 | £29,136 | £35,531 | x |
| 2025 | x | £25,593 | £29,951 | £34,826 | x |
| 2026 | x | £27,575 | £31,498 | £38,535 | x |
ONS figures for each year, not adjusted for inflation. Years before 2021 used a different occupation classification, so they can't be compared. Earlier years are ONS's revised figures; the latest is provisional.
Half of full-time employees in this occupation earn less than £31,498 a year and half earn more. That is 23% less than the median for all full-time employees in the UK (£40,911).
The middle half earn between £27,575 and £38,535.
Ranked by median, it is number 260 of the 362 occupations with a published figure.
At the median salary, take-home pay after Income Tax and National Insurance is about £2,183 a month in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and £2,185 in Scotland.
Percentiles
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th (P10) | x | x |
| 20th | £27,015 | £2,251 |
| 25th (P25) | £27,575 | £2,298 |
| 30th | £28,214 | £2,351 |
| 40th | £30,071 | £2,506 |
| Median (50th) | £31,498 | £2,625 |
| 60th | £35,432 | £2,953 |
| 70th | £37,066 | £3,089 |
| 75th (P75) | £38,535 | £3,211 |
| 80th | x | x |
| 90th (P90) | x | x |
Men and women
| Median | Mean | Jobs (thousands) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | £32,475 | £33,658 | 11 |
| Women | x | £25,661 | x |
Take-home pay at the median
| Where you live | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| England, Wales, NI | £26,198 | £2,183 |
| Scotland | £26,218 | £2,185 |
After Income Tax and National Insurance for 2026 to 2027, with the standard tax code and no pension or student loan. Work out your own take-home pay · Take-home pay on £31,000
Job titles in this occupation
ONS codes these 457 job titles to SOC 8131 Paper and wood machine operatives. Pay figures are for the whole occupation, not for each title.
- Abrasive paper maker
- Adhesive mixer
- Back sawyer
- Back tenter
- Backer
- Bag hand
- Bag maker
- Band saw operator
- Band sawyer
- Bander
- Bark worker
- Barking machinist
- Barrel maker
- Beater
- Beater's assistant
- Beaterman
- Beaterman's assistant
- Belt cutter
- Bender
- Bender and slotter
- Binder
- Bitter
- Bleacher
- Blocker
- Board machine setter
- Board maker
- Bobbin maker
- Bobbin rincer
- Bobbin sizer
- Bobbin turner
- Boiler
- Boilerman
- Borer
- Boring machinist
- Bottomer
- Bowl turner
- Box and slide machinist
- Box cutter
- Box file maker
- Box machinist
- Box maker
- Box maker's cutter
- Box making machinist
- Box repairer
- Brander
- Breaker
- Breakerman
- Brusher
- Brushing machinist
- Builder's machinist
- Burnishing machinist
- Cabinet machinist
- Cable drum maker
- Calender assistant
- Calender attendant
- Calender operator
- Calenderer
- Calenderman
- Calenderman's assistant
- Carbon paper machinist
Show all 457 titles
- Carbon paper maker
- Card box maker
- Card cutter
- Card maker
- Card trimmer
- Cardboard box maker
- Cardboard box worker
- Cardboard case maker
- Cardboard stripper
- Carrier bag machinist
- Carton maker
- Carton stripper
- Case maker
- Case repairer
- Cask repairer
- Catcher
- Chipper
- Chopperman
- Churn maker
- Circular sawyer
- Coat hanger maker
- Coater
- Coating machinist
- Coating operator
- Cold roller
- Combiner
- Combining machinist
- Compressor operator
- Concaver
- Concentratorman
- Conditioner
- Conditioner attendant
- Cooper's machinist
- Cording machinist
- Cork block maker
- Corrugating machinist
- Corrugator
- Coucher
- Counter turner
- Crate maker
- Crate maker's machinist
- Crate mender
- Crate repairer
- Cream cup maker
- Crinkled paper machinist
- Cross borer and cutter
- Cross cut sawyer
- Cut-off man
- Cutter
- Cutter's assistant
- Cutterman
- Cutting machinist
- Cylinderman
- Damperman
- Designer-cutter
- Devilman
- Dipper
- Drilling machinist
- Dropperman
- Drum builder
- Drum maker
- Dry worker
- Dryer
- Dryerman's assistant
- Edgeman
- Embossing machinist
- Emery cloth cutting machinist
- Emery paper maker
- Engine sizer
- Envelope adjuster
- Envelope folder
- Envelope machinist
- Envelope maker
- Feeder
- Felt attendant
- Feltman
- Fibre can maker
- Fibre worker
- Filler-in
- Film cutter
- Film setter
- Finisher
- Flusher
- Fly paper maker
- Forme setter
- Frazer
- Friction glazer
- Fringe mould turner
- Glass cloth maker
- Glass paper maker
- Glazer
- Glue spreader
- Grainer attendant
- Grinder
- Grinderman
- Grinding machinist
- Guillotine cutter
- Guillotine hand
- Guillotine machinist
- Guillotine operator
- Gumming machinist
- Handle machinist
- Handle maker
- Handle turner
- Header-up
- Heel breaster
- Heel turner
- Helper
- Helve maker
- Hot presser
- Hot roller
- Humidifier attendant
- Hydrapulper
- Hydropulper assistant
- Impregnating machinist
- Interleaver
- Jogger
- Joiner machinist
- Joiner's machinist
- Kiln dryer
- Kiln operator
- Kiln worker
- Kollerganger
- Label maker
- Laced paper maker
- Laminating assistant
- Laminator
- Lathe operator
- Layer
- Layer-on
- Linen machine back tenter
- Lining machinist
- Logwood grinder
- Logwood miller
- Lurrier
- Machine adjuster
- Machine joiner
- Machine man
- Machine man's assistant
- Machine manager
- Machine setter
- Machinist
- Making machinist
- Manufacturer
- Map folder
- Medal maker
- Mill sawyer
- Mill worker
- Miller
- Mixer
- Mixing machinist
- Moisture proofer
- Mould man
- Moulding machinist
- Moulding mill machinist
- Negative cutter
- Nipper
- Ointment box maker
- Ovenman
- Packing case maker
- Pallet maker
- Pallet repairer
- Pan man
- Panel cutter
- Panel maker
- Paper bag handler
- Paper bag machinist
- Paper bag maker
- Paper bag taker-off
- Paper box maker
- Paper cementer
- Paper coater
- Paper coating machinist
- Paper conditioner
- Paper converter
- Paper cutter
- Paper cutter's assistant
- Paper cutting machinist
- Paper finisher
- Paper folder
- Paper grinder
- Paper hand
- Paper insulating machinist
- Paper machine setter-operator
- Paper machinist
- Paper maker
- Paper manufacturer
- Paper mill worker
- Paper pattern copier
- Paper pattern cutter
- Paper pleating machinist
- Paper slitter
- Paper stainer
- Paper stripper
- Paper trimmer
- Paper tube machinist
- Paper varnisher
- Paper worker
- Paperer
- Parchmentiser
- Pasteboard machine tender
- Pasteboard machine tender's assistant
- Pasteboard machinist
- Pasting machinist
- Pattern card maker
- Pattern room worker
- Pencil groover
- Perforating machinist
- Photographic paper maker
- Photographic print trimmer
- Pigment brusher
- Pipe turner
- Pirn turner
- Pit prop sharpener
- Planer
- Planing machinist
- Plant operator
- Plate finisher
- Plater
- Plywood maker
- Pole maker
- Postcard glazer
- Potcherman
- Press cutter
- Press-pate man
- Presser
- Print cutter
- Process operator
- Process worker
- Pulp maker
- Pulper
- Pulperman
- Pulpman
- Punch operator
- Punching machinist
- Rack sawyer
- Rag boiler
- Rag breakerman
- Rag house worker
- Recoverer
- Reel maker
- Reeler
- Reelerman
- Reelerman's assistant
- Reelman
- Refiner
- Retort fireman
- Ripperman
- Rod turner
- Roller
- Roller changer
- Roller turner
- Roller-up
- Rotary cutter
- Rougher and borer
- Router
- Rule framer
- Ruling machinist
- Sample maker
- Sand houseman
- Sand paper maker
- Sander
- Sanding machinist
- Sandman
- Sandpapering machinist
- Saw man
- Saw mill attendant
- Saw mill hand
- Saw mill machinist
- Saw mill operator
- Saw mill worker
- Saw miller
- Saw operator
- Sawyer
- Seasoner
- Servicer
- Setter-out
- Shaper
- Shaping machinist
- Sheet catcher
- Sheet maker
- Sheet trimmer
- Sheeter
- Shive turner
- Show card maker
- Siever
- Sisal creel attendant
- Sizeman
- Sizer
- Sleeper pickler
- Slitter
- Slitter's assistant
- Slitterman
- Slitting and cutting machinist
- Slitting machinist
- Slotter
- Sole cutter
- Spindle hand
- Spindle machinist
- Spindle moulder
- Spiral turner
- Spiral winder
- Spool turner
- Spooler
- Stayer
- Stencil cutter
- Stencil paper backer
- Stencil paper waxer
- Strainerman
- Stripper
- Super calenderman
- Table man
- Tackler
- Take-down operator
- Tankhand
- Tape fixer
- Tape maker
- Tenon hand
- Thickener attendant
- Thicknessing machinist
- Timber converter
- Timber creosoter
- Timber cutter
- Timber machinist
- Timber preserver
- Timber treater
- Toilet roll machinist
- Transfer maker
- Tray maker
- Trunk maker
- Tube cutter
- Tube cutting machinist
- Tube gluing and winding machinist
- Tube maker
- Tube roller
- Tube winder
- Tube worker
- Turner
- Up-taking machinist
- Varnisher
- Varnishing machinist
- Vat builder
- Vatman
- Veneer clipper
- Veneer clipper operator
- Veneer cutter
- Veneer dryer
- Veneer layer
- Veneer machinist
- Veneer presser
- Veneer slicer
- Veneer trimmer
- Vulcanised fibre machinist
- Wallpaper trimmer
- Wallpaper winder
- Washer
- Washerman
- Waterman
- Wax tank worker
- Waxer
- Waxing machinist
- Wheel maker
- Whip sawyer
- Willower
- Winder
- Winder operator
- Winderman
- Wood block turner
- Wood borer
- Wood chopper
- Wood cleaner
- Wood cutter
- Wood cutting machinist
- Wood driller
- Wood facer
- Wood finisher
- Wood flour miller
- Wood label maker
- Wood laminator
- Wood machinist
- Wood mill attendant
- Wood moulder
- Wood pulp sawyer
- Wood turner
- Wood turning machinist
- Wood veneerer
- Wood wool maker
- Woodcutter
- Woodcutting machine setter
- Woodcutting machinist
- Wooden box maker
- Wooden screw maker
- Woodpulp boiler
- Woodpulp breaker
- Woodturner
- Woodworking machinist
- Wrapper
Similar occupations
All jobs in Process, plant and machine operatives
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2026 provisional, Table 14.7a (full-time employees, gross annual pay, UK, tax year ending 5 April 2026). Provisional figures may be revised.