Paper and wood machine operatives roles in the UK earn a median of £29,000 per year, equivalent to £14.66 per hour as of 2025. Pay decreased 0.6% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £27,000 in South East to £33,000 in South West. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £30,360/yr (4% below our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£29,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£14.66
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
-0.6%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£25,000 – £
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Paper and wood machine operatives across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| South West | £33,000 |
| Scotland | £31,500 |
| East | £30,000 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £30,000 |
| Wales | £29,000 |
| North East | £28,500 |
| West Midlands | £28,500 |
| North West | £28,000 |
| London | £27,500 |
| East Midlands | £27,500 |
| South East | £27,000 |
| UK | £29,000 |
Annual pay fell by -0.6% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Paper and wood machine operatives.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Paper and wood machine operatives in the UK is £29,000 per year (about £14.66 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Paper and wood machine operatives earn between £25,000 and £ a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Paper and wood machine operatives pay fell by -0.6% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Paper and wood machine operatives is in South West, at £33,000 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Paper and wood machine operatives roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Paper and wood machine operatives operate machines to treat and cut wood, to produce, treat and cut paper, paperboard, leatherboard, plasterboard and similar material, and to assemble and make wooden crates and containers.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs/vocational qualifications in Fibreboard Operations at levels 2 and 3, and apprenticeships are available. NVQs/SVQs/vocational- qualifications in Wood Machining are available at levels 2.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.