3221/Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
91K
employees, 2023
91K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 402 US Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills business locations employed 90,792 people and paid $8.6 billion in annual payroll, $94,271 per employee on average. Employment was down 1.0% from 2022. Georgia had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
402
-3.4% vs 2022
Employees
90,792
-1.0% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$8.6B
+3.6% vs 2022
Average pay
$94,271
+4.7% 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 Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 26 | 7,948 | $100,821 | 0.18% |
| Alabama | 18 | 7,484 | $107,730 | 0.41% |
| Wisconsin | 31 | 7,409 | $84,368 | 0.28% |
| South Carolina | 15 | 5,756 | $101,613 | 0.28% |
| Louisiana | 9 | 4,280 | $92,979 | 0.25% |
| Pennsylvania | 19 | 4,018 | $92,464 | 0.07% |
| Arkansas | 9 | 3,989 | $91,462 | 0.36% |
| New York | 28 | 3,955 | $79,309 | 0.05% |
| Florida | 17 | 3,953 | $87,517 | 0.04% |
| North Carolina | 16 | 3,763 | $84,327 | 0.09% |
| Washington | 15 | 3,708 | $105,114 | 0.12% |
| Michigan | 21 | 3,291 | $91,243 | 0.08% |
| Virginia | 15 | 3,092 | $95,258 | 0.09% |
| Maine | 7 | 2,722 | $100,348 | 0.50% |
| Tennessee | 12 | 2,537 | $96,023 | 0.09% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 35.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay, WI | 9 | 2,909 | $89,651 |
| Savannah, GA | 4 | 2,257 | $97,961 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 4 | 1,936* | $106,634 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 5 | 1,369 | $83,167 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 12 | 1,020 | $80,373 |
| Appleton, WI | 3 | 983 | $75,957 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 3 | 924 | $100,383 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 6 | 862* | $116,162 |
| Wisconsin Rapids-Marshfield, WI | 4 | 718* | $92,591 |
| Florence, SC | 3 | 687* | $101,991 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 3 | 684 | $108,170 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 5 | 656 | $65,285 |
| Richmond, VA | 6 | 619 | $86,675 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 3 | 594* | $54,364 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 4 | 592 | $55,503 |
Business size
US Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 41 | 10.2% |
| 5 to 9 | 18 | 4.5% |
| 10 to 19 | 18 | 4.5% |
| 20 to 49 | 41 | 10.2% |
| 50 to 99 | 70 | 17.4% |
| 100 to 249 | 77 | 19.2% |
| 250 to 499 | 78 | 19.4% |
| 500 to 999 | 53 | 13.2% |
| 1,000 or more | 6 | 1.5% |
Related industries
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills and the 3 industries directly below it
Part of Manufacturing 31-33Paper Manufacturing 322
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32212 | Paper Mills | 42,893 | $86,660 |
| 32213 | Paperboard Mills | 38,290 | $99,652 |
| 32211 | Pulp Mills | 9,609 | $106,804 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills in the US?
90,792 people worked at 402 US Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills business locations in 2023, down 1.0% from 2022. That is 0.06% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills?
$94,271 a year per employee in 2023, from $8.6 billion in annual payroll (up 4.7% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills jobs?
Georgia had the most, with 7,948 employees in 2023, followed by Alabama (7,484) and Wisconsin (7,409).
Which metro areas have the most Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills jobs?
Green Bay, WI (2,909), Savannah, GA (2,257), Longview-Kelso, WA (1,936) had the most Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills employees in 2023.
Are most Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills businesses small?
19.2% of the 402 Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 59 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.