All careers › Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Machine operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $33,390lowest 10% earn less
- $36,85025th percentile
- $43,220median
- $49,07075th percentile
- $60,030top 10% earn more
Packaging and filling machine operators had a median pay of $43,220 a year, which is below the median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow 4.1% from 2025 to 2035[3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +4.1%[3]
- Openings per year
- 41,400[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do machine operators make?
The official BLS category is Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders. In May 2025, the median pay was $43,220 a year, or $20.78 an hour[1]. That means half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) was $44,590 a year, or $21.44 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[2].
Pay varied a lot within the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,390 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $60,030[4]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[4][9] | $33,390 | $16.06 |
| 25th percentile[4][9] | $36,850 | $17.72 |
| Median[1] | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| 75th percentile[4][9] | $49,070 | $23.59 |
| 90th percentile[4][9] | $60,030 | $28.86 |
These figures cover full-time and part-time wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 379,060 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].
Pay by state and city
By median annual wage, New Hampshire ranked first at $49,450, followed by Wyoming at $48,890 and Missouri at $48,070[12]. Some of those states have few jobs. New Hampshire had 620 and Wyoming had 360[12].
The most jobs were in California (43,430), Illinois (29,400) and Texas (22,970), followed by Pennsylvania (19,340) and New York (18,150)[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], Fort Collins-Loveland, CO had the highest median at $79,800. Cedar Rapids, IA came next at $67,700, then Tuscaloosa, AL at $61,680[14]. The metro with the most jobs was Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, with 21,830 jobs and a median of $43,290[15].
Show median pay in 50 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire[12] | $49,450 | 620 |
| Wyoming | $48,890 | 360 |
| Missouri | $48,070 | 12,620 |
| Maine | $47,970 | 1,490 |
| North Dakota | $47,390 | 760 |
| Idaho | $46,720 | 3,950 |
| Vermont | $46,670 | 880 |
| West Virginia | $46,410 | 810 |
| Nebraska | $46,220 | 4,410 |
| Wisconsin | $46,220 | 16,150 |
| Colorado | $46,010 | 4,760 |
| Iowa | $45,660 | 6,990 |
| Kentucky | $45,450 | 8,640 |
| Oregon | $45,180 | 5,370 |
| Virginia | $44,950 | 6,150 |
| Kansas | $44,890 | 7,920 |
| Indiana | $44,600 | 12,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,480 | 19,340 |
| Montana | $44,350 | 380 |
| California | $44,020 | 43,430 |
| South Dakota | $43,860 | 1,000 |
| Utah | $43,780 | 6,350 |
| Maryland | $43,670 | 3,030 |
| Ohio | $43,310 | 17,850 |
| Tennessee | $43,190 | 7,400 |
| Illinois | $43,150 | 29,400 |
| Georgia | $42,920 | 11,380 |
| Washington | $41,700 | 8,450 |
| Michigan | $41,690 | 10,940 |
| North Carolina | $41,150 | 11,870 |
| Minnesota | $40,960 | 7,340 |
| Arizona | $40,560 | 7,090 |
| Massachusetts | $40,360 | 5,020 |
| New Jersey | $40,280 | 9,810 |
| South Carolina | $40,010 | 4,890 |
| Connecticut | $39,460 | 1,540 |
| New York | $39,330 | 18,150 |
| Oklahoma | $39,310 | 3,150 |
| Texas | $38,950 | 22,970 |
| Alaska | $38,730 | 260 |
| Delaware | $38,500 | 680 |
| Louisiana | $38,370 | 1,910 |
| Rhode Island | $38,330 | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $37,820 | 3,240 |
| Arkansas | $37,740 | 4,630 |
| Mississippi | $37,720 | 3,030 |
| Nevada | $37,440 | 2,700 |
| Florida | $37,170 | 14,010 |
| Hawaii | $36,810 | 380 |
| New Mexico | $35,640 | 1,550 |
How to become a machine operator
BLS describes the typical path into this occupation this way[6]:
- First: finish high school or earn an equivalent diploma[6].
- Next: you do not need work experience in a related occupation[6].
- Then: learn the job through moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
The facts here do not say how many weeks or months that training lasts. O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, where some jobs need little or no previous experience and others need several months to a year[16].
What machine operators do
O*NET describes the work as running or tending machines that get industrial or consumer goods ready to be stored or shipped. It also includes cannery workers who pack food[17]. Common tasks include:
- Putting identification labels on finished packages, or marking containers with details such as lot numbers[18].
- Sorting, grading, weighing and checking products against specifications[18].
- Stopping or resetting machines, clearing jams and reporting problems to a supervisor[18].
- Watching the machines to make sure filled or packaged products meet standards[18].
- Taking finished items off the machine and setting aside rejects[18].
- Watching the production line for pile-ups, jams or glue that does not stick[18].
- Starting the machine with its controls[18].
- Cleaning, oiling and making small adjustments to equipment[18].
Workers report job titles such as Filler Operator, Packaging Operator and Packing Machine Operator[19].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 4.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 377,700 to 393,300 jobs, a gain of 15,600[3]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[20]. These counts include self-employed workers, who made up 0.2% of the occupation in 2025[3][21].
BLS expects about 41,400 openings a year on average[5]. Openings count more than new jobs. They also include spots left by workers who retire or move to another occupation[5]. Each year, 4.5% of workers leave the labor force and 5.8% move to a different occupation[22].
Is it a good fit?
The job asks for a high school diploma or equivalent and no related experience, with training done on the job[6]. Pay was below the all-occupations median, but the top 10% earned more than $60,030[2][4]. Projected growth is a little above the all-occupations rate, and there are about 41,400 openings each year[3][20][5]. The work centers on watching machines, checking products and fixing small problems[18].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a machine operator make an hour?
- The median pay for packaging and filling machine operators was $20.78 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $21.44[1][7].
- What education do you need to be a machine operator?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
- Is machine operator work in demand?
- Employment is projected to grow 4.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, with about 41,400 openings a year[3][20][5].
- What is the highest paying state for machine operators?
- New Hampshire had the highest median annual wage at $49,450, followed by Wyoming at $48,890[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in the US was $43,220 per year and $20.78 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders is projected to grow 4.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 377,700 to 393,300 jobs (a change of +15,600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders: 10th percentile $33,390, 25th percentile $36,850, 75th percentile $49,070, 90th percentile $60,030. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 41,400 openings for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders was $44,590 per year and $21.44 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders: 10th percentile $16.06, 25th percentile $17.72, 75th percentile $23.59, 90th percentile $28.86. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 379,060 people were employed as Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders jobs: California 43,430; Illinois 29,400; Texas 22,970; Pennsylvania 19,340; New York 18,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders (areas with at least 100 jobs): Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $79,800; Cedar Rapids, IA $67,700; Tuscaloosa, AL $61,680; Owensboro, KY $61,250; Eau Claire, WI $60,340; Decatur, IL $59,160; Traverse City, MI $54,020; Manchester-Nashua, NH $53,540. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 21,830 (median $43,290); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 16,110 (median $38,790); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 13,990 (median $43,470); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 8,240 (median $40,610); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 6,100 (median $42,450); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 5,770 (median $44,340). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 51-9111.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 51-9111.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Bundler, Closing Machine Operator, Computer Numerical Control Machine Operator (CNC Machine Operator), Filler Operator, Machine Operator, Packaging Operator, Packing Attendant, Packing Machine Operator. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: 0.2% of Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders: 4.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.