4241/Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
128K
employees, 2023
128K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 7,603 US Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers business locations employed 128,040 people and paid $9.9 billion in annual payroll, $77,591 per employee on average. Employment was down 2.2% from 2022. Missouri had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
7,603
-3.1% vs 2022
Employees
128,040
-2.2% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$9.9B
+2.4% vs 2022
Average pay
$77,591
+4.8% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 163 | 14,991 | $38,905 | 0.57% |
| California | 1,181 | 13,116 | $90,271 | 0.08% |
| Illinois | 441 | 9,111 | $106,398 | 0.16% |
| New Jersey | 367 | 7,388 | $94,955 | 0.19% |
| Florida | 491 | 7,053 | $75,929 | 0.07% |
| New York | 555 | 6,907 | $74,038 | 0.08% |
| Texas | 502 | 6,481 | $76,363 | 0.05% |
| Georgia | 267 | 5,883 | $83,420 | 0.13% |
| Ohio | 288 | 4,864 | $72,391 | 0.10% |
| Pennsylvania | 275 | 4,431 | $73,445 | 0.08% |
| Massachusetts | 152 | 4,317 | $97,296 | 0.12% |
| North Carolina | 222 | 3,545 | $72,086 | 0.08% |
| Tennessee | 167 | 3,090 | $77,861 | 0.10% |
| Minnesota | 142 | 2,521 | $81,152 | 0.09% |
| Washington | 151 | 2,503 | $83,230 | 0.08% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 51.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 71 | 13,388 | $32,799 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 723 | 9,923 | $90,673 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 380 | 7,984 | $108,265 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 634 | 6,703 | $97,700 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 177 | 4,575 | $83,962 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 172 | 3,502 | $76,808 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 235 | 2,926 | $77,889 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 93 | 2,721 | $104,417 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 166 | 2,520 | $86,134 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 108 | 2,175 | $81,313 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 127 | 1,825 | $70,565 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 64 | 1,706 | $89,145 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 84 | 1,679 | $88,979 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 81 | 1,660 | $86,623 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 71 | 1,590 | $66,793 |
Business size
US Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 3,929 | 51.7% |
| 5 to 9 | 1,300 | 17.1% |
| 10 to 19 | 1,015 | 13.4% |
| 20 to 49 | 848 | 11.2% |
| 50 to 99 | 338 | 4.4% |
| 100 to 249 | 128 | 1.7% |
| 250 to 499 | 32 | 0.4% |
| 500 to 999 | 12 | 0.2% |
| 1,000 or more | Not published | - |
Related industries
Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers and the 3 industries directly below it
Part of Wholesale Trade 42Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods 424
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42413 | Industrial and Personal Service Paper Merchant Wholesalers | 66,154 | $88,886 |
| 42412 | Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 54,346 | $62,086 |
| 42411 | Printing and Writing Paper Merchant Wholesalers | 7,540 | $90,243 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers in the US?
128,040 people worked at 7,603 US Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers business locations in 2023, down 2.2% from 2022. That is 0.09% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers?
$77,591 a year per employee in 2023, from $9.9 billion in annual payroll (up 4.8% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers jobs?
Missouri had the most, with 14,991 employees in 2023, followed by California (13,116) and Illinois (9,111).
Which metro areas have the most Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers jobs?
Kansas City, MO-KS (13,388), New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (9,923), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (7,984) had the most Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers employees in 2023.
Are most Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers businesses small?
82.1% of the 7,602 Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 12 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.