Occupation salary profile

Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

SOC 51-9111 BLS OEWS May 2025

Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.

National median · BLS
$43,220
▲ +5.67% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$44,590
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
379,060
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$33,390
25th$36,850
Median (50th)$43,220
75th$49,070
90th — top pay$60,030

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

BLS projects employment of packaging and filling machine operators and tenders to grow 4.1% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 41,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
377,700 → 393,300
+15,600 jobs
Projected change
+4.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
41,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Operations Monitoring3.3
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Active Listening3.0
  • Coordination3.0
  • Operation and Control3.0
  • Critical Thinking2.9
  • Equipment Maintenance2.9
  • Quality Control Analysis2.9
  • Reading Comprehension2.9
  • Social Perceptiveness2.9
Top knowledge areas
  • Production and Processing3.8
  • Mechanical3.5
  • Public Safety and Security3.2
  • Education and Training3.2
  • English Language3.2
  • Customer and Personal Service3.1
  • Mathematics3.1
  • Administration and Management2.7
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordSAP softwareEmail softwareLabel printing software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What packaging and filling machine operators and tenders do

  • Attach identification labels to finished packaged items, or cut stencils and stencil information on containers, such as lot numbers or shipping destinations.
  • Sort, grade, weigh, and inspect products, verifying and adjusting product weight or measurement to meet specifications.
  • 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.
  • Remove finished packaged items from machine and separate rejected items.
  • Monitor the production line, watching for problems such as pile-ups, jams, or glue that isn't sticking properly.
  • Inspect and remove defective products and packaging material.
  • Start machine by engaging controls.
Also called
BundlerFiller OperatorMachine OperatorPackaging OperatorClosing Machine OperatorComputer Numerical Control Machine Operator (CNC Machine Operator)Packing AttendantPacking Machine Operator
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Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.