SOC 51-9111.00

    Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

    Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment.

    Median pay
    $43,220
    Growth
    +4.1%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    41,400
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $33,390
    Median
    $43,220
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $60,030
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    379,060 people work in this occupation.

    What packaging and filling machine operators and tenders do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    94 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    6 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    0 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    14 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    65 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCE. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    74
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    71
    Handling and Moving Objects
    70
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    70
    Getting Information
    68
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    66
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    66
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    66
    Processing Information
    65
    Training and Teaching Others
    63
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring
    • Monitoring
    • Active Listening
    • Coordination
    • Operation and Control
    • Critical Thinking
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Social Perceptiveness

    Knowledge

    • Production and Processing
    • Mechanical
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Education and Training
    • English Language
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Mathematics
    • Administration and Management
    • Personnel and Human Resources
    • Computers and Electronics

    Abilities

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Control Precision
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Perceptual Speed
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Flexibility of Closure

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Integrity
    • Perseverance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Control
    • Adaptability

    Also called

    Ampoule Filler · Ampoule Sealer · Apple Press Operator · Assembly Line Worker · Assembly Person · Assembly Worker · Auto Roller · Automatic Cigar Wrapper Tender · Automatic Packer Operator · Bag Bundler

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What packaging and filling machine operators and tenders may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    1 state lists a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

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    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

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    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.