Packers and Packagers, Hand Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for packers and packagers, hands across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $37,540 ≈ $18/hr
National median salary $36,280
Total employment 559,820 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -5.4%
Decline
Annual openings 74,000 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 591,800 → 559,700 (-32,200)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Colorado$42,580
- Alaska$42,420
- District of Columbia$41,930
- New Jersey$41,750
- Washington$41,600
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$30,370
- West Virginia$31,780
- Mississippi$32,160
- Florida$32,210
- New Mexico$32,310
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | $42,580 | $40,730 | $20 | +13.4% | 4,120 |
| 2 | Alaska | $42,420 | $41,670 | $20 | +13% | 560 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $41,930 | $40,910 | $20 | +11.7% | 170 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $41,750 | $43,840 | $20 | +11.2% | 71,260 |
| 5 | Washington | $41,600 | $39,220 | $20 | +10.8% | 11,940 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $41,430 | $40,310 | $20 | +10.4% | 5,460 |
| 7 | Kansas | $41,330 | $44,460 | $20 | +10.1% | 9,900 |
| 8 | Delaware | $40,750 | $37,290 | $20 | +8.6% | 2,030 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $40,350 | $38,880 | $19 | +7.5% | 3,010 |
| 10 | Vermont | $40,180 | $39,440 | $19 | +7% | 810 |
| 11 | California | $40,010 | $37,260 | $19 | +6.6% | 79,730 |
| 12 | New York | $39,610 | $37,260 | $19 | +5.5% | 14,830 |
| 13 | Indiana | $39,350 | $37,420 | $19 | +4.8% | 9,690 |
| 14 | Arizona | $38,890 | $37,060 | $19 | +3.6% | 7,380 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $38,810 | $36,850 | $19 | +3.4% | 5,900 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $38,780 | $36,730 | $19 | +3.3% | 1,830 |
| 17 | Nevada | $38,750 | $37,400 | $19 | +3.2% | 3,750 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $38,380 | $35,890 | $18 | +2.2% | 4,280 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $38,360 | $36,960 | $18 | +2.2% | 22,990 |
| 20 | Iowa | $38,330 | $37,470 | $18 | +2.1% | 4,090 |
| 21 | Missouri | $38,170 | $37,670 | $18 | +1.7% | 5,910 |
| 22 | Maryland | $38,030 | $35,860 | $18 | +1.3% | 4,230 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $38,020 | $35,930 | $18 | +1.3% | 2,010 |
| 24 | Illinois | $37,990 | $36,090 | $18 | +1.2% | 23,270 |
| 25 | Oregon | $37,640 | $36,190 | $18 | +0.3% | 6,370 |
| 26 | Ohio | $37,610 | $37,000 | $18 | +0.2% | 20,700 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $37,180 | $36,010 | $18 | -1% | 13,130 |
| 28 | Maine | $36,880 | $36,330 | $18 | -1.8% | 1,460 |
| 29 | Idaho | $36,660 | $36,920 | $18 | -2.3% | 2,020 |
| 30 | Virginia | $36,470 | $35,000 | $18 | -2.9% | 7,790 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $36,190 | $34,200 | $17 | -3.6% | 15,330 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $36,170 | $35,980 | $17 | -3.6% | 14,030 |
| 33 | Michigan | $35,950 | $35,340 | $17 | -4.2% | 15,590 |
| 34 | Montana | $35,820 | $34,960 | $17 | -4.6% | 1,490 |
| 35 | Utah | $35,810 | $36,060 | $17 | -4.6% | 5,740 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $35,080 | $33,930 | $17 | -6.6% | 3,050 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $34,690 | $34,360 | $17 | -7.6% | 19,600 |
| 38 | Georgia | $34,270 | $33,260 | $16 | -8.7% | 17,380 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $34,270 | $34,520 | $16 | -8.7% | 3,900 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $33,600 | $32,180 | $16 | -10.5% | 7,610 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $33,480 | $32,110 | $16 | -10.8% | 340 |
| 42 | Texas | $33,440 | $33,090 | $16 | -10.9% | 46,510 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $32,920 | $31,440 | $16 | -12.3% | 470 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | $32,740 | $30,700 | $16 | -12.8% | 3,300 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $32,400 | $28,760 | $16 | -13.7% | 1,040 |
| 46 | Alabama | $32,380 | $31,770 | $16 | -13.7% | 7,050 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $32,310 | $28,070 | $16 | -13.9% | 1,050 |
| 48 | Florida | $32,210 | $28,280 | $15 | -14.2% | 38,860 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $32,160 | $33,240 | $15 | -14.3% | 3,490 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $31,780 | $28,740 | $15 | -15.3% | 1,140 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $30,370 | $27,710 | $15 | -19.1% | 2,280 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 505 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greeley, CO | $48,780 | $46,540 | 200 |
| 2 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $48,030 | $45,400 | 150 |
| 3 | Sheboygan, WI | $47,550 | $43,870 | 410 |
| 4 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $47,350 | $41,200 | 850 |
| 5 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $46,950 | $44,870 | 1,390 |
| 6 | Hinesville, GA | $45,970 | $40,370 | 50 |
| 7 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $45,910 | $42,810 | 430 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $44,460 | $42,190 | 8,890 |
| 9 | Lawrence, KS | $44,370 | $39,810 | 90 |
| 10 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $44,030 | $40,000 | 440 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing packers and packagers, hands (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $59,600 | $53,920 | 30 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $58,550 | $60,580 | 380 |
| 3 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $58,530 | $60,470 | 360 |
| 4 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $55,600 | $52,670 | 490 |
| 5 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $55,600 | $52,330 | 530 |
| 6 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $55,600 | $52,670 | 490 |
| 7 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | $55,260 | $51,330 | 200 |
| 8 | Commercial & Industrial Machinery & Equipment (except Automotive & Electronic) Repair & Maintenance | $52,670 | $46,840 | 40 |
| 9 | Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $49,580 | $46,620 | 50 |
| 10 | All Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $49,580 | $46,620 | 50 |
| 11 | Other Personal Services | $48,550 | $45,220 | — |
| 12 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $48,440 | $53,220 | 190 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do packers and packagers, hand make in the U.S.?
The median packers and packagers, hand salary in the United States is $36,280 per year (mean $37,540), and about 80% earn between $27,890 and $47,100.
How much do packers and packagers, hand make per hour?
Roughly $18 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $37,540 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays packers and packagers, hand the most?
Colorado has the highest average pay for packers and packagers, hand at $42,580 per year (median $40,730).
What is the job outlook for packers and packagers, hand?
Employment is projected to change -5.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 74,000 openings per year.