Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders: Career Overview
Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.
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What Tasks Do Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders Do?
The core tasks performed by packaging and filling machine operators and tenders span:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful packaging and filling machine operators and tenders draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Ampoule Filler
- Ampoule Sealer
- Apple Press Operator
- Assembly Line Worker
- Assembly Person
- Assembly Worker
- Auto Roller
- Automatic Cigar Wrapper Tender
Job Outlook
There are about 588,507 packaging and filling machine operators and tenders working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +0.8% over the projection horizon.
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $49,448 |
| Hourly median | $23.77 |
| 10th percentile | $31,701 |
| 25th percentile | $40,574 |
| 75th percentile | $58,322 |
| 90th percentile | $67,195 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $48,530 |
| Maine | $47,680 |
| West Virginia | $47,410 |
| Missouri | $47,010 |
| Idaho | $46,470 |
| New Hampshire | $46,310 |
| Virginia | $46,230 |
| Tennessee | $45,530 |
| North Dakota | $45,390 |
| Nebraska | $44,760 |
| Colorado | $44,320 |
| Wisconsin | $44,170 |
| Iowa | $43,900 |
| Vermont | $43,680 |
| California | $43,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,470 |
| Minnesota | $43,230 |
| Kentucky | $43,190 |
| Kansas | $43,030 |
| Indiana | $42,820 |
| Oregon | $42,640 |
| Maryland | $42,210 |
| New Jersey | $42,190 |
| Montana | $41,200 |
| South Dakota | $41,080 |
| Illinois | $40,920 |
| Georgia | $40,900 |
| Ohio | $40,800 |
| North Carolina | $40,640 |
| Washington | $40,580 |
| Utah | $40,430 |
| New York | $39,910 |
| Arizona | $39,720 |
| Rhode Island | $39,300 |
| Massachusetts | $38,690 |
| Connecticut | $38,150 |
| Michigan | $38,090 |
| Alaska | $37,880 |
| South Carolina | $37,870 |
| Oklahoma | $37,690 |
| Arkansas | $37,660 |
| Nevada | $37,440 |
| Texas | $37,200 |
| Mississippi | $37,060 |
| Delaware | $36,570 |
| Florida | $36,560 |
| New Mexico | $35,970 |
| Alabama | $35,760 |
| Hawaii | $31,620 |
| Louisiana | $30,670 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,950 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $44,504 | 9.9% | 1.54 |
| Rocky Mountains | $43,333 | 3.5% | 1.08 |
| Far Western US | $42,859 | 15.8% | 0.98 |
| Middle Atlantic | $41,783 | 12.5% | 0.94 |
| Great Lakes | $41,244 | 23.9% | 1.75 |
| New England | $40,502 | 3.0% | 0.69 |
| Southeast | $40,233 | 22.5% | 1.05 |
| Southwest | $37,615 | 7.7% | 0.62 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | NH | $79,300 | 240 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | CO | $77,290 | 620 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | IA | $65,570 | 1,080 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | VA | $63,370 | 500 |
| Williamsport, PA | PA | $62,930 | 270 |
| Lynchburg, VA | VA | $59,180 | 330 |
| Owensboro, KY | KY | $57,480 | 1,010 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $56,990 | 2,220 |
Which Industries Hire Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Most packaging and filling machine operators and tenders work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 302,120 | $43,010 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 37,940 | $36,360 |
| Wholesale Trade | 24,970 | $40,420 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 5,710 | $40,830 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5,560 | $37,770 |
| Retail Trade | 2,390 | $37,710 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,610 | $44,650 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,130 | $32,220 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Time Pressure
How to Become Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Most packaging and filling machine operators and tenders positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (Supplemental)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders (Supplemental)
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers (Primary-Long)
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (Supplemental)
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (Primary-Long)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9111.00 (Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders).
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