53 Series · SOC 53-7064
Packers and Packagers, Hand Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $36,280
- Median / year
- +2%
- 2024→2025
- $47,100
- Top 10% earn
- -5.4%
- Growth '24–'34
- 559,820
- Estimated US jobs
Packers and Packagers, Hand earn a median of $36,280 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $36,280, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $27,890 (10th percentile) to $47,100 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 559,820 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Kansas ($44,460).
The pay verdict
Packers and Packagers, Hand earn a median of $36,280, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 5% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #46 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 5.4% by 2034.
- $36,280
- Median annual wage
- Top 95%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #46 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Kansas at $44,460. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Packers and Packagers, Hand moved from $25,910 in May 2019 to $36,280 in May 2025 (+40.0%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Packers and Packagers, Hand sits +15.6 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Packers and Packagers, Hand (SOC 53-7064) has a national median of $36,280 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $27,890 to $47,100, and the published mean is $37,540. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 559,820 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 511 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $35,580 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $36,280 in May 2025, a rise of $700 (+2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -5.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 74,000 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Transportation and Material Moving Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Kansas pays the highest state median at $44,460, which is +23% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Greeley, CO at $48,780. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$36,280
per year
Median Hourly
$17.44/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$37,540
average
Employment
559,820
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Packers and Packagers, Hand pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$36,280 Bottom 5% higher than 5% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 (this entry) | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$36,280 · 5th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Packers and Packagers, Hand; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Laborers and Freight…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.5%, Median annual wage $40240
- Stockers and Order F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $37330
- Heavy and Tractor-Tr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $58640
- Light Truck Drivers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.3%, Median annual wage $44860
- Industrial Truck and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.1%, Median annual wage $46420
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $62890
- Packers and Packager…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.4%, Median annual wage $36280
- Driver/Sales Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.8%, Median annual wage $38770
- Bus Drivers, School: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $47920
- Cleaners of Vehicles…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $35830
- Shuttle Drivers and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.7%, Median annual wage $37290
- Bus Drivers, Transit…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $59050
- Refuse and Recyclabl…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.9%, Median annual wage $49690
- Parking Attendants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $35150
- Flight Attendants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.2%, Median annual wage $63580
- Airline Pilots, Copi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $232140
- Automotive and Water…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1%, Median annual wage $35670
- Commercial Pilots: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $123220
- Motor Vehicle Operat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6%, Median annual wage $37180
- Railroad Conductors …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.1%, Median annual wage $78000
- Crane and Tower Oper…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $68080
- Machine Feeders and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -13%, Median annual wage $41220
- Taxi Drivers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.1%, Median annual wage $42100
- Captains, Mates, and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $92460
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-5.4%
Declining
Annual Openings
74,000
per year (projected)
Employment Change
-32,200
591,800 (2024) → 559,700 (2034)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Transportation and Material Moving Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
17.5/100K
Injury Rate
4.8/100
Danger Index
28/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Packers and Packagers, Hand roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Examine and inspect containers, materials, or products to ensure that product quality and packing specifications are met.
- ▸ Measure, weigh, and count products and materials.
- ▸ Remove completed or defective products or materials, placing them on moving equipment, such as conveyors, or in specified areas, such as loading docks.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Place or pour products or materials into containers, using hand tools and equipment, or fill containers from spouts or chutes.
- ▸ Mark and label containers, container tags, or products, using marking tools.
- ▸ Load materials and products into package processing equipment.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Packers and Packagers, Hand pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $21,010 |
| 2016 | $22,130 |
| 2017 | $23,430 |
| 2018 | $24,580 |
| 2019 | $25,910 |
| 2020 | $28,050 |
| 2021 | $29,940 |
| 2022 | $32,920 |
| 2023 | $34,830 |
| 2024 | $35,580 |
| 2025 | $36,280 |
2015 median
$21,010
2025 median
$36,280
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$10,370 (+40%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+5.8%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $21,010 | First banked release | 713,130 |
| May 2016 | $22,130 | +5.3% | 705,660 |
| May 2017 | $23,430 | +5.9% | 700,560 |
| May 2018 | $24,580 | +4.9% | 663,970 |
| May 2019 | $25,910 | Classification break | 633,640 |
| May 2020 | $28,050 | +8.3% | 599,270 |
| May 2021 | $29,940 | +6.7% | 585,270 |
| May 2022 | $32,920 | +10.0% | 653,870 |
| May 2023 | $34,830 | +5.8% | 645,210 |
| May 2024 | $35,580 | +2.2% | 601,440 |
| May 2025 | $36,280 | +2.0% | 559,820 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $21,010 in May 2015 to $36,280 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +5.8% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 633,640 in May 2019 to 559,820 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas | $44,460 | +23% above national |
| 2 | New Jersey | $43,840 | +21% above national |
| 3 | Alaska | $41,670 | +15% above national |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $40,910 | +13% above national |
| 5 | Colorado | $40,730 | +12% above national |
| 6 | Minnesota | $40,310 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Vermont | $39,440 | +9% above national |
| 8 | Washington | $39,220 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Nebraska | $38,880 | +7% above national |
| 10 | Missouri | $37,670 | +4% above national |
| 11 | Iowa | $37,470 | +3% above national |
| 12 | Indiana | $37,420 | +3% above national |
| 13 | Nevada | $37,400 | +3% above national |
| 14 | Delaware | $37,290 | +3% above national |
| 15 | California | $37,260 | +3% above national |
| 16 | New York | $37,260 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Arizona | $37,060 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Ohio | $37,000 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $36,960 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Idaho | $36,920 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Kentucky | $36,850 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $36,730 | +1% above national |
| 23 | Maine | $36,330 | same as national |
| 24 | Oregon | $36,190 | same as national |
| 25 | Illinois | $36,090 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Utah | $36,060 | 1% below national |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $36,010 | 1% below national |
| 28 | Tennessee | $35,980 | 1% below national |
| 29 | Hawaii | $35,930 | 1% below national |
| 30 | Connecticut | $35,890 | 1% below national |
| 31 | Maryland | $35,860 | 1% below national |
| 32 | Michigan | $35,340 | 3% below national |
| 33 | Virginia | $35,000 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Montana | $34,960 | 4% below national |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $34,520 | 5% below national |
| 36 | North Carolina | $34,360 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Massachusetts | $34,200 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Arkansas | $33,930 | 6% below national |
| 39 | Georgia | $33,260 | 8% below national |
| 40 | Mississippi | $33,240 | 8% below national |
| 41 | Texas | $33,090 | 9% below national |
| 42 | South Carolina | $32,180 | 11% below national |
| 43 | Wyoming | $32,110 | 11% below national |
| 44 | Alabama | $31,770 | 12% below national |
| 45 | North Dakota | $31,440 | 13% below national |
| 46 | New Hampshire | $30,700 | 15% below national |
| 47 | South Dakota | $28,760 | 21% below national |
| 48 | West Virginia | $28,740 | 21% below national |
| 49 | Florida | $28,280 | 22% below national |
| 50 | New Mexico | $28,070 | 23% below national |
| 51 | Louisiana | $27,710 | 24% below national |
| 52 | Virgin Islands | $22,880 | 37% below national |
| 53 | Puerto Rico | $21,840 | 40% below national |
| 54 | Guam | $21,030 | 42% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 378 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greeley, CO | $48,780 | +34% above national |
| 2 | Sheboygan, WI | $47,550 | +31% above national |
| 3 | Hinesville, GA | $45,970 | +27% above national |
| 4 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $44,460 | +23% above national |
| 5 | Lawrence, KS | $44,370 | +22% above national |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,010 | +21% above national |
| 7 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $43,970 | +21% above national |
| 8 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $43,450 | +20% above national |
| 9 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $42,700 | +18% above national |
| 10 | Rochester, MN | $42,520 | +17% above national |
| 11 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,410 | +17% above national |
| 12 | York-Hanover, PA | $41,800 | +15% above national |
| 13 | Anchorage, AK | $41,690 | +15% above national |
| 14 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $41,610 | +15% above national |
| 15 | Duluth, MN-WI | $41,370 | +14% above national |
| 16 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $41,350 | +14% above national |
| 17 | Modesto, CA | $40,680 | +12% above national |
| 18 | Boulder, CO | $40,490 | +12% above national |
| 19 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $40,490 | +12% above national |
| 20 | Wichita, KS | $40,360 | +11% above national |
| 21 | Morristown, TN | $40,280 | +11% above national |
| 22 | Reno, NV | $40,240 | +11% above national |
| 23 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $39,920 | +10% above national |
| 24 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $39,890 | +10% above national |
| 25 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $39,890 | +10% above national |
| 26 | Bellingham, WA | $39,880 | +10% above national |
| 27 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $39,820 | +10% above national |
| 28 | Bismarck, ND | $39,720 | +9% above national |
| 29 | Bozeman, MT | $39,700 | +9% above national |
| 30 | Columbia, MO | $39,520 | +9% above national |
| 31 | Missoula, MT | $39,520 | +9% above national |
| 32 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $39,350 | +8% above national |
| 33 | Napa, CA | $39,070 | +8% above national |
| 34 | Flagstaff, AZ | $39,050 | +8% above national |
| 35 | Omaha, NE-IA | $38,880 | +7% above national |
| 36 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $38,800 | +7% above national |
| 37 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $38,750 | +7% above national |
| 38 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $38,720 | +7% above national |
| 39 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $38,670 | +7% above national |
| 40 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $38,630 | +6% above national |
| 41 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $38,590 | +6% above national |
| 42 | Decatur, IL | $38,570 | +6% above national |
| 43 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $38,470 | +6% above national |
| 44 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $38,400 | +6% above national |
| 45 | Syracuse, NY | $38,350 | +6% above national |
| 46 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $38,290 | +6% above national |
| 47 | Monroe, LA | $38,280 | +6% above national |
| 48 | Tucson, AZ | $38,180 | +5% above national |
| 49 | Dubuque, IA | $38,120 | +5% above national |
| 50 | Evansville, IN | $38,100 | +5% above national |
| 51 | Columbus, OH | $38,090 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Elmira, NY | $38,060 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Yuba City, CA | $38,030 | +5% above national |
| 54 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $37,980 | +5% above national |
| 55 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $37,970 | +5% above national |
| 56 | Vallejo, CA | $37,950 | +5% above national |
| 57 | St. Cloud, MN | $37,940 | +5% above national |
| 58 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $37,900 | +4% above national |
| 59 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $37,840 | +4% above national |
| 60 | Medford, OR | $37,830 | +4% above national |
| 61 | Kenosha, WI | $37,810 | +4% above national |
| 62 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $37,790 | +4% above national |
| 63 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $37,730 | +4% above national |
| 64 | Colorado Springs, CO | $37,700 | +4% above national |
| 65 | Asheville, NC | $37,690 | +4% above national |
| 66 | Boise City, ID | $37,670 | +4% above national |
| 67 | Jackson, TN | $37,670 | +4% above national |
| 68 | Twin Falls, ID | $37,650 | +4% above national |
| 69 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $37,560 | +4% above national |
| 70 | Lancaster, PA | $37,550 | +4% above national |
| 71 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $37,540 | +3% above national |
| 72 | Lebanon, PA | $37,510 | +3% above national |
| 73 | Reading, PA | $37,510 | +3% above national |
| 74 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $37,500 | +3% above national |
| 75 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $37,450 | +3% above national |
| 76 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $37,450 | +3% above national |
| 77 | Akron, OH | $37,440 | +3% above national |
| 78 | Appleton, WI | $37,440 | +3% above national |
| 79 | Cleveland, OH | $37,440 | +3% above national |
| 80 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $37,430 | +3% above national |
| 81 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $37,390 | +3% above national |
| 82 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $37,390 | +3% above national |
| 83 | Iowa City, IA | $37,340 | +3% above national |
| 84 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $37,280 | +3% above national |
| 85 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $37,280 | +3% above national |
| 86 | Toledo, OH | $37,260 | +3% above national |
| 87 | Jefferson City, MO | $37,210 | +3% above national |
| 88 | Owensboro, KY | $37,180 | +2% above national |
| 89 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $37,080 | +2% above national |
| 90 | Peoria, IL | $37,050 | +2% above national |
| 91 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $37,040 | +2% above national |
| 92 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $37,030 | +2% above national |
| 93 | Carson City, NV | $36,990 | +2% above national |
| 94 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $36,940 | +2% above national |
| 95 | Winchester, VA-WV | $36,930 | +2% above national |
| 96 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $36,890 | +2% above national |
| 97 | Columbus, IN | $36,880 | +2% above national |
| 98 | Bend, OR | $36,870 | +2% above national |
| 99 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $36,830 | +2% above national |
| 100 | Ogden, UT | $36,800 | +1% above national |
| 101 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $36,690 | +1% above national |
| 102 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $36,690 | +1% above national |
| 103 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $36,660 | +1% above national |
| 104 | Wausau, WI | $36,660 | +1% above national |
| 105 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $36,650 | +1% above national |
| 106 | Pittsburgh, PA | $36,650 | +1% above national |
| 107 | Fort Wayne, IN | $36,630 | +1% above national |
| 108 | Chambersburg, PA | $36,600 | +1% above national |
| 109 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $36,570 | +1% above national |
| 110 | Madison, WI | $36,560 | +1% above national |
| 111 | Barnstable Town, MA | $36,520 | +1% above national |
| 112 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $36,510 | +1% above national |
| 113 | Bloomington, IN | $36,480 | +1% above national |
| 114 | Pocatello, ID | $36,470 | +1% above national |
| 115 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $36,460 | same as national |
| 116 | Knoxville, TN | $36,410 | same as national |
| 117 | Grand Junction, CO | $36,400 | same as national |
| 118 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $36,400 | same as national |
| 119 | Idaho Falls, ID | $36,380 | same as national |
| 120 | Pueblo, CO | $36,380 | same as national |
| 121 | Billings, MT | $36,220 | same as national |
| 122 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $36,220 | same as national |
| 123 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $36,190 | same as national |
| 124 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $36,180 | same as national |
| 125 | Erie, PA | $36,180 | same as national |
| 126 | Green Bay, WI | $36,160 | same as national |
| 127 | Springfield, OH | $36,160 | same as national |
| 128 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $36,140 | same as national |
| 129 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $36,130 | same as national |
| 130 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $36,120 | same as national |
| 131 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $36,100 | same as national |
| 132 | Williamsport, PA | $36,100 | same as national |
| 133 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $36,090 | 1% below national |
| 134 | Yakima, WA | $36,080 | 1% below national |
| 135 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $36,020 | 1% below national |
| 136 | Joplin, MO-KS | $36,010 | 1% below national |
| 137 | Montgomery, AL | $36,010 | 1% below national |
| 138 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $36,010 | 1% below national |
| 139 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $36,010 | 1% below national |
| 140 | Decatur, AL | $36,000 | 1% below national |
| 141 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $36,000 | 1% below national |
| 142 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $35,990 | 1% below national |
| 143 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $35,940 | 1% below national |
| 144 | Chico, CA | $35,870 | 1% below national |
| 145 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $35,850 | 1% below national |
| 146 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $35,840 | 1% below national |
| 147 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $35,820 | 1% below national |
| 148 | Springfield, MA | $35,810 | 1% below national |
| 149 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $35,790 | 1% below national |
| 150 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $35,740 | 1% below national |
| 151 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $35,730 | 2% below national |
| 152 | Mankato, MN | $35,720 | 2% below national |
| 153 | Glens Falls, NY | $35,700 | 2% below national |
| 154 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $35,700 | 2% below national |
| 155 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $35,680 | 2% below national |
| 156 | Amarillo, TX | $35,650 | 2% below national |
| 157 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $35,630 | 2% below national |
| 158 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $35,580 | 2% below national |
| 159 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $35,570 | 2% below national |
| 160 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $35,490 | 2% below national |
| 161 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $35,490 | 2% below national |
| 162 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $35,490 | 2% below national |
| 163 | Salinas, CA | $35,480 | 2% below national |
| 164 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $35,450 | 2% below national |
| 165 | Dover, DE | $35,440 | 2% below national |
| 166 | Lincoln, NE | $35,440 | 2% below national |
| 167 | Salem, OR | $35,410 | 2% below national |
| 168 | Springfield, MO | $35,370 | 3% below national |
| 169 | Albany, OR | $35,360 | 3% below national |
| 170 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $35,360 | 3% below national |
| 171 | Helena, MT | $35,360 | 3% below national |
| 172 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $35,340 | 3% below national |
| 173 | New Haven, CT | $35,340 | 3% below national |
| 174 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $35,320 | 3% below national |
| 175 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $35,260 | 3% below national |
| 176 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $35,250 | 3% below national |
| 177 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $35,200 | 3% below national |
| 178 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $35,180 | 3% below national |
| 179 | Rochester, NY | $35,180 | 3% below national |
| 180 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $35,150 | 3% below national |
| 181 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $35,070 | 3% below national |
| 182 | Fresno, CA | $35,060 | 3% below national |
| 183 | Winston-Salem, NC | $35,050 | 3% below national |
| 184 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $35,020 | 3% below national |
| 185 | Lynchburg, VA | $35,020 | 3% below national |
| 186 | San Angelo, TX | $34,990 | 4% below national |
| 187 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $34,980 | 4% below national |
| 188 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $34,960 | 4% below national |
| 189 | Fayetteville, NC | $34,960 | 4% below national |
| 190 | Ann Arbor, MI | $34,940 | 4% below national |
| 191 | Utica-Rome, NY | $34,930 | 4% below national |
| 192 | Walla Walla, WA | $34,890 | 4% below national |
| 193 | Richmond, VA | $34,870 | 4% below national |
| 194 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $34,850 | 4% below national |
| 195 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $34,830 | 4% below national |
| 196 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $34,830 | 4% below national |
| 197 | Redding, CA | $34,830 | 4% below national |
| 198 | Rockford, IL | $34,830 | 4% below national |
| 199 | Midland, MI | $34,750 | 4% below national |
| 200 | Visalia, CA | $34,740 | 4% below national |
| 201 | Cheyenne, WY | $34,720 | 4% below national |
| 202 | Elizabethtown, KY | $34,690 | 4% below national |
| 203 | Monroe, MI | $34,680 | 4% below national |
| 204 | Tulsa, OK | $34,680 | 4% below national |
| 205 | St. George, UT | $34,670 | 4% below national |
| 206 | Kingston, NY | $34,640 | 5% below national |
| 207 | Harrisonburg, VA | $34,590 | 5% below national |
| 208 | Jackson, MS | $34,580 | 5% below national |
| 209 | Fond du Lac, WI | $34,550 | 5% below national |
| 210 | Eau Claire, WI | $34,540 | 5% below national |
| 211 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $34,530 | 5% below national |
| 212 | Traverse City, MI | $34,500 | 5% below national |
| 213 | Ames, IA | $34,490 | 5% below national |
| 214 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $34,440 | 5% below national |
| 215 | Binghamton, NY | $34,410 | 5% below national |
| 216 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $34,410 | 5% below national |
| 217 | Gainesville, GA | $34,400 | 5% below national |
| 218 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $34,360 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Midland, TX | $34,350 | 5% below national |
| 220 | El Centro, CA | $34,320 | 5% below national |
| 221 | Merced, CA | $34,320 | 5% below national |
| 222 | Niles, MI | $34,270 | 6% below national |
| 223 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $34,230 | 6% below national |
| 224 | Sandusky, OH | $34,230 | 6% below national |
| 225 | Goldsboro, NC | $34,200 | 6% below national |
| 226 | Pittsfield, MA | $34,200 | 6% below national |
| 227 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $34,090 | 6% below national |
| 228 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $34,020 | 6% below national |
| 229 | Salisbury, MD | $34,020 | 6% below national |
| 230 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $34,010 | 6% below national |
| 231 | Vineland, NJ | $34,010 | 6% below national |
| 232 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $33,930 | 6% below national |
| 233 | Wichita Falls, TX | $33,910 | 7% below national |
| 234 | Gettysburg, PA | $33,880 | 7% below national |
| 235 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $33,740 | 7% below national |
| 236 | Altoona, PA | $33,640 | 7% below national |
| 237 | Johnstown, PA | $33,580 | 7% below national |
| 238 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $33,560 | 7% below national |
| 239 | Tyler, TX | $33,550 | 8% below national |
| 240 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $33,510 | 8% below national |
| 241 | Springfield, IL | $33,410 | 8% below national |
| 242 | Corpus Christi, TX | $33,350 | 8% below national |
| 243 | Worcester, MA | $33,350 | 8% below national |
| 244 | Jackson, MI | $33,340 | 8% below national |
| 245 | Bowling Green, KY | $33,310 | 8% below national |
| 246 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $33,090 | 9% below national |
| 247 | Flint, MI | $33,090 | 9% below national |
| 248 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $33,090 | 9% below national |
| 249 | Lima, OH | $33,090 | 9% below national |
| 250 | Cleveland, TN | $33,050 | 9% below national |
| 251 | Johnson City, TN | $33,020 | 9% below national |
| 252 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $32,880 | 9% below national |
| 253 | Paducah, KY-IL | $32,830 | 10% below national |
| 254 | Warner Robins, GA | $32,830 | 10% below national |
| 255 | Logan, UT-ID | $32,790 | 10% below national |
| 256 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $32,760 | 10% below national |
| 257 | Savannah, GA | $32,740 | 10% below national |
| 258 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $32,700 | 10% below national |
| 259 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $32,680 | 10% below national |
| 260 | State College, PA | $32,680 | 10% below national |
| 261 | Waco, TX | $32,680 | 10% below national |
| 262 | Rome, GA | $32,640 | 10% below national |
| 263 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $32,520 | 10% below national |
| 264 | Spartanburg, SC | $32,380 | 11% below national |
| 265 | Kankakee, IL | $32,370 | 11% below national |
| 266 | Kokomo, IN | $32,270 | 11% below national |
| 267 | Jonesboro, AR | $32,080 | 12% below national |
| 268 | Birmingham, AL | $31,920 | 12% below national |
| 269 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $31,740 | 13% below national |
| 270 | Bloomington, IL | $31,730 | 13% below national |
| 271 | Corvallis, OR | $31,640 | 13% below national |
| 272 | Charlottesville, VA | $31,580 | 13% below national |
| 273 | Oklahoma City, OK | $31,580 | 13% below national |
| 274 | Grants Pass, OR | $31,400 | 13% below national |
| 275 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $31,390 | 13% below national |
| 276 | Battle Creek, MI | $31,310 | 14% below national |
| 277 | Topeka, KS | $31,260 | 14% below national |
| 278 | Albuquerque, NM | $31,250 | 14% below national |
| 279 | Columbia, SC | $31,240 | 14% below national |
| 280 | Lexington Park, MD | $31,200 | 14% below national |
| 281 | Saginaw, MI | $31,060 | 14% below national |
| 282 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $30,880 | 15% below national |
| 283 | Charleston, WV | $30,870 | 15% below national |
| 284 | Bangor, ME | $30,840 | 15% below national |
| 285 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $30,690 | 15% below national |
| 286 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $30,690 | 15% below national |
| 287 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $30,580 | 16% below national |
| 288 | Yuma, AZ | $30,580 | 16% below national |
| 289 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $30,540 | 16% below national |
| 290 | Wilmington, NC | $30,460 | 16% below national |
| 291 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $30,340 | 16% below national |
| 292 | Longview, TX | $30,320 | 16% below national |
| 293 | Roanoke, VA | $30,310 | 16% below national |
| 294 | Odessa, TX | $30,200 | 17% below national |
| 295 | Hot Springs, AR | $30,180 | 17% below national |
| 296 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $30,150 | 17% below national |
| 297 | Bay City, MI | $30,080 | 17% below national |
| 298 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $30,080 | 17% below national |
| 299 | Hattiesburg, MS | $30,070 | 17% below national |
| 300 | Lubbock, TX | $29,940 | 17% below national |
| 301 | Santa Fe, NM | $29,940 | 17% below national |
| 302 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $29,870 | 18% below national |
| 303 | Great Falls, MT | $29,860 | 18% below national |
| 304 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $29,850 | 18% below national |
| 305 | Mobile, AL | $29,830 | 18% below national |
| 306 | Dalton, GA | $29,780 | 18% below national |
| 307 | Lawton, OK | $29,770 | 18% below national |
| 308 | Jacksonville, FL | $29,750 | 18% below national |
| 309 | Terre Haute, IN | $29,750 | 18% below national |
| 310 | Huntsville, AL | $29,680 | 18% below national |
| 311 | Dothan, AL | $29,650 | 18% below national |
| 312 | Las Cruces, NM | $29,580 | 18% below national |
| 313 | Burlington, NC | $29,540 | 19% below national |
| 314 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $29,200 | 20% below national |
| 315 | Gadsden, AL | $29,190 | 20% below national |
| 316 | Fargo, ND-MN | $29,180 | 20% below national |
| 317 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $29,130 | 20% below national |
| 318 | Sumter, SC | $29,100 | 20% below national |
| 319 | Jacksonville, NC | $28,930 | 20% below national |
| 320 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $28,800 | 21% below national |
| 321 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $28,740 | 21% below national |
| 322 | Laredo, TX | $28,730 | 21% below national |
| 323 | Hammond, LA | $28,510 | 21% below national |
| 324 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $28,380 | 22% below national |
| 325 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $28,380 | 22% below national |
| 326 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $28,370 | 22% below national |
| 327 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $28,310 | 22% below national |
| 328 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $28,260 | 22% below national |
| 329 | Abilene, TX | $28,180 | 22% below national |
| 330 | Albany, GA | $28,160 | 22% below national |
| 331 | Baton Rouge, LA | $28,150 | 22% below national |
| 332 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $28,140 | 22% below national |
| 333 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $28,120 | 22% below national |
| 334 | Mansfield, OH | $28,090 | 23% below national |
| 335 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $28,040 | 23% below national |
| 336 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $28,000 | 23% below national |
| 337 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $27,970 | 23% below national |
| 338 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $27,920 | 23% below national |
| 339 | Gainesville, FL | $27,810 | 23% below national |
| 340 | Rapid City, SD | $27,800 | 23% below national |
| 341 | Punta Gorda, FL | $27,760 | 23% below national |
| 342 | Rocky Mount, NC | $27,760 | 23% below national |
| 343 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $27,750 | 24% below national |
| 344 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $27,740 | 24% below national |
| 345 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $27,740 | 24% below national |
| 346 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $27,720 | 24% below national |
| 347 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $27,700 | 24% below national |
| 348 | Tallahassee, FL | $27,480 | 24% below national |
| 349 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $27,460 | 24% below national |
| 350 | Manhattan, KS | $27,460 | 24% below national |
| 351 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $27,440 | 24% below national |
| 352 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $27,350 | 25% below national |
| 353 | Ocala, FL | $27,340 | 25% below national |
| 354 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $27,330 | 25% below national |
| 355 | Columbus, GA-AL | $27,320 | 25% below national |
| 356 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $27,290 | 25% below national |
| 357 | Sebring, FL | $27,250 | 25% below national |
| 358 | Valdosta, GA | $27,250 | 25% below national |
| 359 | Lafayette, LA | $27,230 | 25% below national |
| 360 | Casper, WY | $27,190 | 25% below national |
| 361 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $27,160 | 25% below national |
| 362 | Farmington, NM | $27,090 | 25% below national |
| 363 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $27,040 | 25% below national |
| 364 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $27,040 | 25% below national |
| 365 | Lake Charles, LA | $26,480 | 27% below national |
| 366 | El Paso, TX | $26,380 | 27% below national |
| 367 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $26,190 | 28% below national |
| 368 | Greenville, NC | $26,100 | 28% below national |
| 369 | Alexandria, LA | $25,230 | 30% below national |
| 370 | Florence, SC | $24,500 | 32% below national |
| 371 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $24,090 | 34% below national |
| 372 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $23,740 | 35% below national |
| 373 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $23,550 | 35% below national |
| 374 | Aguadilla, PR | $21,840 | 40% below national |
| 375 | Arecibo, PR | $21,840 | 40% below national |
| 376 | Mayaguez, PR | $21,840 | 40% below national |
| 377 | Ponce, PR | $21,840 | 40% below national |
| 378 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $21,840 | 40% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 53 (Transportation and Material Moving Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Air Traffic Controllers
SOC 53-2021
Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
SOC 53-1041
Aircraft Service Attendants
SOC 53-6032
Airfield Operations Specialists
SOC 53-2022
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
SOC 53-2011
Showing 5 of 49 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Transportation and Material Moving Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($36,280 here) and reported employment (559,820 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
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What to do with this data
How to use Packers and Packagers, Hand pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $43,060/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Kansas leads at $44,460/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.