Packers and Packagers, Hand: Career Profile
Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.
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The Daily Work of Packers and Packagers, Hand Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of packers and packagers, hand include:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top packers and packagers, hand rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Packers and Packagers, Hand Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Agricultural Produce Packer
- Ampoule Sealer
- Apple Packing Header
- Bag Filler
- Bag Loader
- Bag Sealer
- Bagger
- Band Shover
How Many Packers and Packagers, Hand Are There?
There are about 677,056 packers and packagers, hand working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +4.9% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Packers and Packagers, Hand Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $25,704 |
| Hourly median | $12.36 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile | $29,650 |
| 90th percentile | $33,597 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $42,770 |
| Alaska | $40,360 |
| District of Columbia | $40,210 |
| Colorado | $39,000 |
| Vermont | $38,740 |
| Indiana | $38,640 |
| Minnesota | $38,550 |
| Nevada | $38,530 |
| Nebraska | $37,930 |
| Maine | $37,660 |
| Arizona | $37,380 |
| Ohio | $37,000 |
| Missouri | $36,850 |
| Wisconsin | $36,820 |
| Kentucky | $36,760 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,670 |
| California | $36,550 |
| Washington | $36,340 |
| Illinois | $36,280 |
| Idaho | $36,250 |
| New York | $36,150 |
| Michigan | $35,950 |
| Kansas | $35,660 |
| Iowa | $35,650 |
| Connecticut | $35,630 |
| Virginia | $35,590 |
| Oregon | $35,490 |
| Utah | $35,430 |
| Delaware | $35,230 |
| Maryland | $35,100 |
| Tennessee | $34,320 |
| Hawaii | $34,150 |
| Massachusetts | $34,110 |
| Montana | $34,040 |
| Rhode Island | $33,560 |
| North Carolina | $33,400 |
| West Virginia | $33,110 |
| Arkansas | $32,740 |
| Georgia | $32,650 |
| Oklahoma | $32,610 |
| New Hampshire | $31,820 |
| Mississippi | $31,730 |
| Texas | $31,210 |
| South Carolina | $30,830 |
| New Mexico | $29,750 |
| South Dakota | $29,750 |
| North Dakota | $28,480 |
| Wyoming | $28,280 |
| Louisiana | $27,900 |
| Alabama | $27,690 |
| Florida | $27,490 |
| Virgin Islands | $24,920 |
| Guam | $21,010 |
| Puerto Rico | $19,950 |
Where Packers and Packagers, Hand Earn the Most
Pay for packers and packagers, hand shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $40,241 | 20.5% | 3.11 |
| Great Lakes | $36,849 | 14.1% | 1.01 |
| Far Western US | $36,524 | 18.9% | 1.15 |
| Plains States | $36,452 | 4.8% | 0.74 |
| Rocky Mountains | $36,420 | 2.6% | 0.76 |
| New England | $34,269 | 5.3% | 1.20 |
| Southwest | $32,026 | 10.5% | 0.88 |
| Southeast | $31,342 | 22.6% | 0.99 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeley, CO | CO | $48,590 | 230 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | MO | $47,340 | 260 |
| Sheboygan, WI | WI | $46,370 | 590 |
| Hinesville, GA | GA | $44,730 | 50 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | AK | $44,720 | 90 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | MO | $43,120 | 460 |
| Columbia, MO | MO | $42,790 | 160 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $42,450 | 24,430 |
Industry Breakdown
Most packers and packagers, hand work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 155,140 | $33,370 |
| Manufacturing | 141,580 | $36,570 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 121,310 | $33,460 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 89,890 | $43,170 |
| Wholesale Trade | 53,620 | $36,630 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 22,020 | $34,330 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 4,250 | $39,090 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 4,220 | $34,750 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for packers and packagers, hand is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Standing
- Contact With Others
How to Become Packers and Packagers, Hand
Entry-level packers and packagers, hand positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping (Primary-Long)
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (Primary-Short)
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders (Supplemental)
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (Supplemental)
- Sewing Machine Operators (Supplemental)
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (Supplemental)
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (Supplemental)
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (Supplemental)
References
This profile draws on 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: 53-7064.00 (Packers and Packagers, Hand).
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