The median pay for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders is $43,220 a year ($20.78/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% through 2035, with about 41,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-9111
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender in four numbers
- Median pay
- $43,220a year, or $20.78/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $33KTop 10% $60K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.1%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 41,400377,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025377.7K
- Projected 2035393.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 377.7K Projected 2035 393.3K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school17.3%
- High school79.7%
- Certificate0.8%
- Associate's2.2%
Highest education held by packaging and filling machine operators and tenders Segment Value Less than high school 17.3% High school 79.7% Certificate 0.8% Associate's 2.2%
Also advertised as: Bundler, Closing Machine Operator, Computer Numerical Control Machine Operator (CNC Machine Operator), Filler Operator, Machine Operator, Packaging Operator.
Pay
How much do Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders make?
Every packaging and filling machine operator and tender in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$43,220
Middle half earn $36,850 to $49,070
- 10th
- $33,390
- 25th
- $36,850
- 75th
- $49,070
- 90th
- $60,030
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,390 |
| 25th | $36,850 |
| Median | $43,220 |
| 75th | $49,070 |
| 90th | $60,030 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $43,220
- Median hourly wage
- $20.78/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $44,590
- People employed
- 379,060
Versus all US occupations
At $43,220, Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders earn 15% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,760 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 10% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $60,030 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,390, a gap of 1.8×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 10% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
New Hampshire posts the highest raw median ($49,450), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $53,272 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Hampshire | $49,450 | $47,473 | 620 |
| 2Wyoming | $48,890 | $52,745 | 360 |
| 3Missouri | $48,070 | $52,931 | 12,620 |
| 4Maine | $47,970 | $49,428 | 1,490 |
| 5North Dakota | $47,390 | $53,272 | 760 |
| 6Idaho | $46,720 | $48,925 | 3,950 |
| 7Vermont | $46,670 | $47,643 | 880 |
| 8West Virginia | $46,410 | $51,856 | 810 |
| 9Nebraska | $46,220 | $51,297 | 4,410 |
| 10Wisconsin | $46,220 | $49,121 | 16,150 |
Job outlook
Is Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | +4.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders to change 4.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 15,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 41,400 openings are projected each year, 11.0% of the 377,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as packaging and filling machine operators and tenders.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)79.7%
- Less than a High School Diploma17.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree2.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate0.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 79.7% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 17.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 2.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 0.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender do?
Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.
Day-to-day tasks
- Remove finished packaged items from machine and separate rejected items.
- Attach identification labels to finished packaged items, or cut stencils and stencil information on containers, such as lot numbers or shipping destinations.
- Inspect and remove defective products and packaging material.
- Stock and sort product for packaging or filling machine operation, and replenish packaging supplies, such as wrapping paper, plastic sheet, boxes, cartons, glue, ink, or labels.
- Stack finished packaged items, or wrap protective material around each item, and pack the items in cartons or containers.
- Stop or reset machines when malfunctions occur, clear machine jams, and report malfunctions to a supervisor.
- Observe machine operations to ensure quality and conformity of filled or packaged products to standards.
- Start machine by engaging controls.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantLittle or no dealing with customers or the public.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Speaking2.8
- Writing2.6
- Active Learning2.4
- Mathematics2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.8 |
| Writing | 2.6 |
| Active Learning | 2.4 |
| Mathematics | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.3
- Coordination3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Equipment Maintenance2.9
- Quality Control Analysis2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.9 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Label making software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.6
- Conventional4.9
- Enterprising1.8
- Investigative1.4
- Social1.0
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Production
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operator and Tender
$46,460median a year
Most earn $31K to $61K
+1.3%High school - Production
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$45,760median a year
Most earn $35K to $63K
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Most earn $37K to $70K
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Most earn $36K to $61K
−0.9%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with packaging and filling machine operators and tenders highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender$43,220
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender | $43,220 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender appears on
Questions
Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender: frequently asked questions
How much do Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders make?
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders earn a median of $43,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 15% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $20.78/hr. The middle half earn between $36,850 and $49,070. The top 10% earn $60,030 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 79.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.1% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 41,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender do?
Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. A core O*NET task: remove finished packaged items from machine and separate rejected items. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders the most?
The highest state medians for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders are New Hampshire ($49,450), Wyoming ($48,890), Missouri ($48,070) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $53,272.
What personality type suits a Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender?
O*NET scores Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.