Packers and Packagers, Hand salary in the U.S.
Packers and Packagers, Hand in the U.S. earn a median of $36,280 a year ($17.44 an hour), based on BLS data for 559,820 workers.
Pay ranges from $27,890 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,100 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $37,540, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for packers and packagers, hand in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,890 | $13.41 |
| 25th percentile | $32,220 | $15.49 |
| Median | $36,280 | $17.44 |
| 75th percentile | $43,060 | $20.70 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,100 | $22.65 |
| Average (mean) | $37,540 | $18.05 |
Half of packers and packagers, hand earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,023.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,511.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,395.38 |
| Weekly | $697.69 |
| Hourly | $17.44 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Packers and Packagers, Hand salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | $44,460 | 9,900 |
| New Jersey | $43,840 | 71,260 |
| Alaska | $41,670 | 560 |
| District of Columbia | $40,910 | 170 |
| Colorado | $40,730 | 4,120 |
| Minnesota | $40,310 | 5,460 |
| Vermont | $39,440 | 810 |
| Washington | $39,220 | 11,940 |
| Nebraska | $38,880 | 3,010 |
| Missouri | $37,670 | 5,910 |
| Iowa | $37,470 | 4,090 |
| Indiana | $37,420 | 9,690 |
| Nevada | $37,400 | 3,750 |
| Delaware | $37,290 | 2,030 |
| California | $37,260 | 79,730 |
| New York | $37,260 | 14,830 |
| Arizona | $37,060 | 7,380 |
| Ohio | $37,000 | 20,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,960 | 22,990 |
| Idaho | $36,920 | 2,020 |
| Kentucky | $36,850 | 5,900 |
| Rhode Island | $36,730 | 1,830 |
| Maine | $36,330 | 1,460 |
| Oregon | $36,190 | 6,370 |
| Illinois | $36,090 | 23,270 |
| Utah | $36,060 | 5,740 |
| Wisconsin | $36,010 | 13,130 |
| Tennessee | $35,980 | 14,030 |
| Hawaii | $35,930 | 2,010 |
| Connecticut | $35,890 | 4,280 |
| Maryland | $35,860 | 4,230 |
| Michigan | $35,340 | 15,590 |
| Virginia | $35,000 | 7,790 |
| Montana | $34,960 | 1,490 |
| Oklahoma | $34,520 | 3,900 |
| North Carolina | $34,360 | 19,600 |
| Massachusetts | $34,200 | 15,330 |
| Arkansas | $33,930 | 3,050 |
| Georgia | $33,260 | 17,380 |
| Mississippi | $33,240 | 3,490 |
| Texas | $33,090 | 46,510 |
| South Carolina | $32,180 | 7,610 |
| Wyoming | $32,110 | 340 |
| Alabama | $31,770 | 7,050 |
| North Dakota | $31,440 | 470 |
| New Hampshire | $30,700 | 3,300 |
| South Dakota | $28,760 | 1,040 |
| West Virginia | $28,740 | 1,140 |
| Florida | $28,280 | 38,860 |
| New Mexico | $28,070 | 1,050 |
| Louisiana | $27,710 | 2,280 |
| Virgin Islands | $22,880 | 100 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 | 3,840 |
| Guam | $21,030 | 240 |
Best-paying metro areas for packers and packagers, hand
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Greeley, CO | $48,780 | 200 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $47,550 | 410 |
| Hinesville, GA | $45,970 | 50 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $44,460 | 8,890 |
| Lawrence, KS | $44,370 | 90 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,010 | 4,270 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $43,970 | 23,180 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $43,450 | 51,020 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $42,700 | 90 |
| Rochester, MN | $42,520 | 110 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,410 | 3,600 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $41,800 | 1,960 |
| Anchorage, AK | $41,690 | 340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $41,610 | 5,750 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $41,370 | 100 |
Metro areas with the most packers and packagers, hand
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 51,020 | $43,450 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 25,350 | $37,390 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 23,180 | $43,970 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 19,580 | $33,090 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 17,960 | $36,180 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 11,250 | $33,740 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 11,200 | $27,970 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 10,560 | $38,400 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 10,350 | $34,010 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 8,890 | $44,460 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 8,540 | $30,690 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 6,500 | $37,030 |
| Columbus, OH | 6,050 | $38,090 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 5,860 | $36,120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,750 | $41,610 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | $35,830 | $17.23 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors | $49,690 | $23.89 |
| Crane and Tower Operators | $68,080 | $32.73 |
| Machine Feeders and Offbearers | $41,220 | $19.82 |
| Material Moving Workers, All Other | $41,800 | $20.10 |
| Conveyor Operators and Tenders | $42,420 | $20.39 |
| Wellhead Pumper | $69,960 | $33.63 |
| Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | $58,870 | $28.30 |
| Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | $61,770 | $29.70 |
| Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | $77,320 | $37.17 |
| Hoist and Winch Operators | $56,450 | $27.14 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-7064. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a packers and packagers, hand make in the U.S.?
The median salary for packers and packagers, hand in the U.S. is $36,280 a year, or $17.44 an hour. Pay ranges from $27,890 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,100 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid packers and packagers, hand make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of packers and packagers, hand in the U.S. earn at least $47,100 a year. The top 25% earn $43,060 or more.
What is the starting pay for packers and packagers, hand in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $27,890 a year, and a quarter of packers and packagers, hand earn $32,220 or less.
How many packers and packagers, hand work in the U.S.?
About 559,820 packers and packagers, hand are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.