Packers and packagers, hand salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,890 | $13.41 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $36,280 | $17.44 |
| Mean (average) | $37,540 | $18.05 |
| 90th percentile | $47,100 | $22.65 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Packers and packagers, hand pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $31,770 | $23,390 | $43,410 | 7,050 | 0.93 |
| Alaska | $41,670 | $25,620 | $60,440 | 560 | 0.48 |
| Arizona | $37,060 | $30,580 | $47,950 | 7,380 | 0.63 |
| Arkansas | $33,930 | $27,900 | $46,080 | 3,050 | 0.65 |
| California | $37,260 | $34,360 | $48,330 | 79,730 | 1.22 |
| Colorado | $40,730 | $35,510 | $50,310 | 4,120 | 0.4 |
| Connecticut | $35,890 | $34,010 | $46,620 | 4,280 | 0.7 |
| Delaware | $37,290 | $32,830 | $57,250 | 2,030 | 1.16 |
| District of Columbia | $40,910 | $36,910 | $49,510 | 170 | 0.07 |
| Florida | $28,280 | $27,080 | $42,990 | 38,860 | 1.09 |
| Georgia | $33,260 | $26,430 | $45,510 | 17,380 | 0.99 |
| Guam | $21,030 | $20,460 | $24,150 | 240 | 1.01 |
| Hawaii | $35,930 | $29,120 | $50,030 | 2,010 | 0.89 |
| Idaho | $36,920 | $23,000 | $48,150 | 2,020 | 0.65 |
| Illinois | $36,090 | $31,240 | $46,570 | 23,270 | 1.06 |
| Indiana | $37,420 | $30,180 | $48,960 | 9,690 | 0.84 |
| Iowa | $37,470 | $29,870 | $48,000 | 4,090 | 0.73 |
| Kansas | $44,460 | $30,060 | $45,380 | 9,900 | 1.91 |
| Kentucky | $36,850 | $29,430 | $50,310 | 5,900 | 0.82 |
| Louisiana | $27,710 | $19,700 | $46,580 | 2,280 | 0.33 |
| Maine | $36,330 | $30,470 | $45,860 | 1,460 | 0.63 |
| Maryland | $35,860 | $31,390 | $47,340 | 4,230 | 0.43 |
| Massachusetts | $34,200 | $31,270 | $44,010 | 15,330 | 1.17 |
| Michigan | $35,340 | $29,400 | $43,860 | 15,590 | 0.98 |
| Minnesota | $40,310 | $29,590 | $50,930 | 5,460 | 0.51 |
| Mississippi | $33,240 | $20,570 | $44,530 | 3,490 | 0.83 |
| Missouri | $37,670 | $29,890 | $46,800 | 5,910 | 0.56 |
| Montana | $34,960 | $22,980 | $45,950 | 1,490 | 0.81 |
| Nebraska | $38,880 | $28,870 | $49,500 | 3,010 | 0.82 |
| Nevada | $37,400 | $28,520 | $47,520 | 3,750 | 0.67 |
| New Hampshire | $30,700 | $29,210 | $40,100 | 3,300 | 1.34 |
| New Jersey | $43,840 | $32,220 | $47,310 | 71,260 | 4.62 |
| New Mexico | $28,070 | $25,670 | $45,220 | 1,050 | 0.33 |
| New York | $37,260 | $32,830 | $47,720 | 14,830 | 0.43 |
| North Carolina | $34,360 | $24,500 | $45,350 | 19,600 | 1.1 |
| North Dakota | $31,440 | $22,240 | $42,480 | 470 | 0.3 |
| Ohio | $37,000 | $29,780 | $47,360 | 20,700 | 1.04 |
| Oklahoma | $34,520 | $22,660 | $44,030 | 3,900 | 0.63 |
| Oregon | $36,190 | $31,100 | $45,400 | 6,370 | 0.9 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,960 | $28,870 | $48,190 | 22,990 | 1.05 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 | $21,840 | $23,120 | 3,840 | 1.14 |
| Rhode Island | $36,730 | $31,200 | $48,310 | 1,830 | 1.01 |
| South Carolina | $32,180 | $25,870 | $44,050 | 7,610 | 0.92 |
| South Dakota | $28,760 | $24,110 | $43,560 | 1,040 | 0.63 |
| Tennessee | $35,980 | $26,940 | $46,990 | 14,030 | 1.19 |
| Texas | $33,090 | $23,550 | $44,220 | 46,510 | 0.92 |
| Utah | $36,060 | $22,880 | $46,240 | 5,740 | 0.92 |
| Vermont | $39,440 | $32,830 | $46,270 | 810 | 0.74 |
| Virgin Islands | $22,880 | $21,890 | $35,510 | 100 | 0.89 |
| Virginia | $35,000 | $27,240 | $46,880 | 7,790 | 0.53 |
| Washington | $39,220 | $34,740 | $53,510 | 11,940 | 0.93 |
| West Virginia | $28,740 | $21,970 | $44,480 | 1,140 | 0.45 |
| Wisconsin | $36,010 | $28,080 | $47,700 | 13,130 | 1.24 |
| Wyoming | $32,110 | $23,310 | $42,180 | 340 | 0.33 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for packers and packagers, hand
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 61,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for packers and packagers, hand
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Examine and inspect containers, materials, or products to ensure that product quality and packing specifications are met.
- Measure, weigh, and count products and materials.
- Record product, packaging, and order information on specified forms and records.
- Seal containers or materials, using glues, fasteners, nails, and hand tools.
- Assemble, line, and pad cartons, crates, and containers, using hand tools.
- Obtain, move, and sort products, materials, containers, and orders, using hand tools.
- Mark and label containers, container tags, or products, using marking tools.
- Clean containers, materials, supplies, or work areas, using cleaning solutions and hand tools.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Inventory tracking software
Transferable skills for career changers: Coordination, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation.
Common job titles: Bagger, Crater, Mini Shifter, Pack Out Operator, Packager, Packaging Specialist, Packer, Picker and Packer, Sacker, Selector Packer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do packers and packagers, hand make?
The national median annual wage for packers and packagers, hand was $36,280 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $27,890 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $47,100. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do packers and packagers, hand need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is packers and packagers, hand a growing career?
BLS projects employment of packers and packagers, hand to change -5.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 61,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay packers and packagers, hand the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Kansas ($44,460), New Jersey ($43,840), Alaska ($41,670). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.