Office machine operators, except computer
SOC Code: 43-9071
Office machine operators, except computer carries a 61% AI exposure score (Very High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $39,020 and -15.2% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 25,500 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 61% AI exposure, Office machine operators, except computer sits 24 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 95% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
7/100
Office machine operators, except computer, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage F $39,020
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -15.2%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 61% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Office machine operators, except computer in the Very High band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry on a declining BLS line
Typical entry is HS / some college (333/832) while growth is Declining (111/832). This is the crowded high-risk corner of the map - automation and headcount pressure compound without a degree moat.
Where Office machine operators, except computer sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Office machine operators, except computer sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
61% Higher than most higher than 95% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Office machine operators, except computer vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Office machine operators, except computer is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Office machine operators, except computer's Very High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 43-9071) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Office machine operators, except computer be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Office machine operators, except computer. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Read job orders to determine the type of work to be done, the quantities to be produced, and the materials needed.
- 2. Deliver completed work.
- 3. Place original copies in feed trays, feed originals into feed rolls, or position originals on tables beneath camera lenses.
- 4. Sort, assemble, and proof completed work.
- 5. Operate 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.
- 6. Complete records of production, including work volumes and outputs, materials used, and any backlogs.
- 7. Compute prices for services and receive payment, or provide supervisors with billing information.
- 8. Set up and adjust machines, regulating factors such as speed, ink flow, focus, and number of copies.
- 9. Load machines with materials such as blank paper or film.
- 10. Monitor machine operation, and make adjustments as necessary to ensure proper operation.
Key Skills Required
- Operation and Control
- Reading Comprehension
- Operations Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Time Management
- Writing
Knowledge Areas
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Production and Processing
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Administrative
- Communications and Media
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Design
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Office machine operators, except computer?
Office machine operators, except computer has an AI exposure score of 61%, indicating a very high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Office machine operators, except computer?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Office machine operators, except computer is projected to decline by 15.2% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 25,500 workers.
What skills are needed for Office machine operators, except computer?
Key skills for Office machine operators, except computer include Operation and Control, Reading Comprehension, Operations Monitoring, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Office machine operators, except computer earn?
The median annual wage for Office machine operators, except computer is $39,020, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Office machine operators, except computer?
The typical entry-level education for Office machine operators, except computer is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Office machine operators, except computer?
Office machine operators, except computer roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Very High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A majority of tasks in this occupation are susceptible to AI automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Office machine operators, except computer: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (61% here).
- Cashiers · AI exposure 61%
- Financial examiners · AI exposure 61%
- Pharmacy technicians · AI exposure 61%
- Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping · AI exposure 61%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-15.2% here).
- Prepress technicians and workers · growth -14.6%
- Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers · growth -14.5%
- File clerks · growth -15.9%
- Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic · growth -14.4%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 24 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Office machine operators, except computer's numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Office machine operators, except computer side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).