Packers and Packagers, Hand
Packers and Packagers, Hand (SOC 53-7064) earn a median $36,280 a year ($17.44 an hour) in the United States, with 559,820 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Kansas.
What packers and packagers, hand do
Packers and packagers, hand, prepare a wide variety of goods for storage or shipment by placing them in boxes, cartons, crates, bags, and other containers. O*NET alternate titles range from agricultural produce packer to bag sealer and barrel filler. Typical steps are to assemble and line a carton or crate and pad it, count, weigh, or measure the items, inspect them for quality and for conformity with packing specifications, and put them in. The container is then sealed with glue, fasteners, nails, or hand tools, and information about the product, packaging, and order is recorded on forms or in a system. Packers also fetch and sort products, containers, and orders around the work area using hand tools, mark and label containers or products, and clean containers, supplies, and work areas. Stockers and order fillers who gather merchandise for customer orders have their own code.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Agricultural Produce Packer, Ampoule Sealer, Apple Packing Header, Bag Filler, Bag Loader.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.41 | $15.49 | $17.44 | $20.70 | $22.65 | $18.05 | 559,820 |
| Annual | $27,890 | $32,220 | $36,280 | $43,060 | $47,100 | $37,540 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where packers and packagers, hand earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $14.45 | $18.28 | $21.38 | $21.43 | $21.82 | $19.87 | 9,900 | 6.88 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $30,060 | $38,020 | $44,460 | $44,570 | $45,380 | $41,330 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $17.32 | $21.08 | $21.60 | $22.75 | $20.07 | 71,260 | 16.63 | 4.62 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $36,030 | $43,840 | $44,930 | $47,310 | $41,750 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $12.32 | $16.81 | $20.04 | $22.60 | $29.06 | $20.39 | 560 | 1.73 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $25,620 | $34,960 | $41,670 | $47,010 | $60,440 | $42,420 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.75 | $17.86 | $19.67 | $21.15 | $23.80 | $20.16 | 170 | 0.24 | 0.07 |
| Annual | $36,910 | $37,140 | $40,910 | $43,990 | $49,510 | $41,930 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $17.07 | $18.20 | $19.58 | $22.40 | $24.19 | $20.47 | 4,120 | 1.43 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $35,510 | $37,850 | $40,730 | $46,580 | $50,310 | $42,580 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.52 | $16.97 | $17.91 | $20.39 | $23.23 | $19.23 | 79,730 | 4.38 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $34,360 | $35,290 | $37,260 | $42,420 | $48,330 | $40,010 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $17.32 | $21.08 | $21.60 | $22.75 | $20.07 | 71,260 | 16.63 | 4.62 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $36,030 | $43,840 | $44,930 | $47,310 | $41,750 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.32 | $13.62 | $15.91 | $17.88 | $21.26 | $16.08 | 46,510 | 3.31 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $23,550 | $28,330 | $33,090 | $37,190 | $44,220 | $33,440 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.02 | $13.27 | $13.60 | $16.66 | $20.67 | $15.48 | 38,860 | 3.91 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $27,080 | $27,600 | $28,280 | $34,640 | $42,990 | $32,210 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.02 | $16.46 | $17.35 | $19.24 | $22.39 | $18.26 | 23,270 | 3.82 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $31,240 | $34,230 | $36,090 | $40,020 | $46,570 | $37,990 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Greeley, CO | Hourly | $17.01 | $20.45 | $23.45 | $24.19 | $24.19 | $22.37 | 200 | 1.70 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $35,370 | $42,540 | $48,780 | $50,310 | $50,310 | $46,540 | ||||
| Sheboygan, WI | Hourly | $14.51 | $17.59 | $22.86 | $24.46 | $24.46 | $21.09 | 410 | 6.75 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $30,180 | $36,590 | $47,550 | $50,870 | $50,870 | $43,870 | ||||
| Hinesville, GA | Hourly | $8.95 | $18.03 | $22.10 | $22.10 | $22.10 | $19.41 | 50 | 2.50 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $18,610 | $37,500 | $45,970 | $45,970 | $45,970 | $40,370 | ||||
| Kansas City, MO-KS | Hourly | $15.79 | $19.31 | $21.38 | $21.43 | $21.82 | $20.29 | 8,890 | 8.11 | 2.25 |
| Annual | $32,830 | $40,170 | $44,460 | $44,570 | $45,380 | $42,190 | ||||
| Lawrence, KS | Hourly | $13.38 | $17.19 | $21.33 | $21.33 | $21.33 | $19.14 | 90 | 1.77 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $27,840 | $35,760 | $44,370 | $44,370 | $44,370 | $39,810 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.87 | $17.22 | $20.89 | $21.50 | $22.75 | $20.01 | 51,020 | 5.38 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $33,010 | $35,820 | $43,450 | $44,710 | $47,310 | $41,610 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.78 | $17.25 | $17.98 | $19.97 | $22.39 | $19.11 | 25,350 | 4.04 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $34,890 | $35,870 | $37,390 | $41,540 | $46,560 | $39,760 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $15.49 | $17.43 | $21.14 | $21.51 | $22.52 | $19.85 | 23,180 | 8.00 | 2.22 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $36,250 | $43,970 | $44,740 | $46,840 | $41,280 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $12.82 | $14.00 | $15.91 | $18.19 | $21.48 | $16.75 | 19,580 | 4.83 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $26,660 | $29,110 | $33,090 | $37,820 | $44,670 | $34,840 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.18 | $16.75 | $17.40 | $19.51 | $22.80 | $18.54 | 17,960 | 3.98 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $31,570 | $34,840 | $36,180 | $40,580 | $47,420 | $38,570 | ||||
Top industries employing packers and packagers, hand
Employment Services employ 16.8% of packers and packagers, hand nationally (94,250 jobs) at a median $34,320 a year ($16.50 an hour), followed by Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) (15.9%) and Warehousing and Storage (13.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 94,250 | 16.8% | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) NAICS 4450A1 | 89,160 | 15.9% | $29,210 | $14.04 |
| Warehousing and Storage NAICS 493100 | 74,380 | 13.3% | $43,970 | $21.14 |
| General Merchandise Retailers NAICS 455000 | 42,240 | 7.5% | $43,290 | $20.81 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) NAICS 4240A1 | 19,270 | 3.4% | $36,700 | $17.64 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (559,820). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,940 for packers and packagers, hand in May 2021 and $36,280 in May 2025, with employment of 585,270 and 559,820.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,940 | $14.39 | 585,270 |
| May 2022 | $32,920 | $15.83 | 653,870 |
| May 2023 | $34,830 | $16.74 | 645,210 |
| May 2024 | $35,580 | $17.10 | 601,440 |
| May 2025 | $36,280 | $17.44 | 559,820 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas profile | $21.38 | $44,460 | $30,060 | $45,380 | 9,900 | 6.88 | 1.91 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $21.08 | $43,840 | $32,220 | $47,310 | 71,260 | 16.63 | 4.62 |
| 3 | Alaska profile | $20.04 | $41,670 | $25,620 | $60,440 | 560 | 1.73 | 0.48 |
| 4 | District of Columbia profile | $19.67 | $40,910 | $36,910 | $49,510 | 170 | 0.24 | 0.07 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $19.58 | $40,730 | $35,510 | $50,310 | 4,120 | 1.43 | 0.40 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $19.38 | $40,310 | $29,590 | $50,930 | 5,460 | 1.85 | 0.51 |
| 7 | Vermont profile | $18.96 | $39,440 | $32,830 | $46,270 | 810 | 2.65 | 0.74 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $18.86 | $39,220 | $34,740 | $53,510 | 11,940 | 3.36 | 0.93 |
| 9 | Nebraska profile | $18.69 | $38,880 | $28,870 | $49,500 | 3,010 | 2.94 | 0.82 |
| 10 | Missouri profile | $18.11 | $37,670 | $29,890 | $46,800 | 5,910 | 2.01 | 0.56 |
| 11 | Iowa profile | $18.02 | $37,470 | $29,870 | $48,000 | 4,090 | 2.62 | 0.73 |
| 12 | Indiana profile | $17.99 | $37,420 | $30,180 | $48,960 | 9,690 | 3.03 | 0.84 |
| 13 | Nevada profile | $17.98 | $37,400 | $28,520 | $47,520 | 3,750 | 2.42 | 0.67 |
| 14 | Delaware profile | $17.93 | $37,290 | $32,830 | $57,250 | 2,030 | 4.19 | 1.16 |
| 15 | California profile | $17.91 | $37,260 | $34,360 | $48,330 | 79,730 | 4.38 | 1.22 |
| 16 | New York profile | $17.91 | $37,260 | $32,830 | $47,720 | 14,830 | 1.53 | 0.43 |
| 17 | Arizona profile | $17.82 | $37,060 | $30,580 | $47,950 | 7,380 | 2.28 | 0.63 |
| 18 | Ohio profile | $17.79 | $37,000 | $29,780 | $47,360 | 20,700 | 3.73 | 1.04 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.77 | $36,960 | $28,870 | $48,190 | 22,990 | 3.79 | 1.05 |
| 20 | Idaho profile | $17.75 | $36,920 | $23,000 | $48,150 | 2,020 | 2.36 | 0.65 |
| 21 | Kentucky profile | $17.72 | $36,850 | $29,430 | $50,310 | 5,900 | 2.95 | 0.82 |
| 22 | Rhode Island profile | $17.66 | $36,730 | $31,200 | $48,310 | 1,830 | 3.65 | 1.01 |
| 23 | Maine profile | $17.47 | $36,330 | $30,470 | $45,860 | 1,460 | 2.28 | 0.63 |
| 24 | Oregon profile | $17.40 | $36,190 | $31,100 | $45,400 | 6,370 | 3.24 | 0.90 |
| 25 | Illinois profile | $17.35 | $36,090 | $31,240 | $46,570 | 23,270 | 3.82 | 1.06 |
| 26 | Utah profile | $17.34 | $36,060 | $22,880 | $46,240 | 5,740 | 3.31 | 0.92 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $17.31 | $36,010 | $28,080 | $47,700 | 13,130 | 4.46 | 1.24 |
| 28 | Tennessee profile | $17.30 | $35,980 | $26,940 | $46,990 | 14,030 | 4.28 | 1.19 |
| 29 | Hawaii profile | $17.28 | $35,930 | $29,120 | $50,030 | 2,010 | 3.20 | 0.89 |
| 30 | Connecticut profile | $17.25 | $35,890 | $34,010 | $46,620 | 4,280 | 2.52 | 0.70 |
| 31 | Maryland profile | $17.24 | $35,860 | $31,390 | $47,340 | 4,230 | 1.53 | 0.43 |
| 32 | Michigan profile | $16.99 | $35,340 | $29,400 | $43,860 | 15,590 | 3.54 | 0.98 |
| 33 | Virginia profile | $16.83 | $35,000 | $27,240 | $46,880 | 7,790 | 1.90 | 0.53 |
| 34 | Montana profile | $16.81 | $34,960 | $22,980 | $45,950 | 1,490 | 2.91 | 0.81 |
| 35 | Oklahoma profile | $16.60 | $34,520 | $22,660 | $44,030 | 3,900 | 2.28 | 0.63 |
| 36 | North Carolina profile | $16.52 | $34,360 | $24,500 | $45,350 | 19,600 | 3.97 | 1.10 |
| 37 | Massachusetts profile | $16.44 | $34,200 | $31,270 | $44,010 | 15,330 | 4.21 | 1.17 |
| 38 | Arkansas profile | $16.31 | $33,930 | $27,900 | $46,080 | 3,050 | 2.34 | 0.65 |
| 39 | Georgia profile | $15.99 | $33,260 | $26,430 | $45,510 | 17,380 | 3.56 | 0.99 |
| 40 | Mississippi profile | $15.98 | $33,240 | $20,570 | $44,530 | 3,490 | 3.00 | 0.83 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $15.91 | $33,090 | $23,550 | $44,220 | 46,510 | 3.31 | 0.92 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $15.47 | $32,180 | $25,870 | $44,050 | 7,610 | 3.30 | 0.92 |
| 43 | Wyoming profile | $15.44 | $32,110 | $23,310 | $42,180 | 340 | 1.21 | 0.33 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | $15.28 | $31,770 | $23,390 | $43,410 | 7,050 | 3.34 | 0.93 |
| 45 | North Dakota profile | $15.11 | $31,440 | $22,240 | $42,480 | 470 | 1.10 | 0.30 |
| 46 | New Hampshire profile | $14.76 | $30,700 | $29,210 | $40,100 | 3,300 | 4.83 | 1.34 |
| 47 | South Dakota profile | $13.83 | $28,760 | $24,110 | $43,560 | 1,040 | 2.26 | 0.63 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $13.82 | $28,740 | $21,970 | $44,480 | 1,140 | 1.63 | 0.45 |
| 49 | Florida profile | $13.60 | $28,280 | $27,080 | $42,990 | 38,860 | 3.91 | 1.09 |
| 50 | New Mexico profile | $13.50 | $28,070 | $25,670 | $45,220 | 1,050 | 1.20 | 0.33 |
| 51 | Louisiana profile | $13.32 | $27,710 | $19,700 | $46,580 | 2,280 | 1.18 | 0.33 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-7060), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-7064 Packers and Packagers, Hand.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-7064, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7064.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.