SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-7064.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $27,890 | $2,324 | $536 | $13.41 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $32,220 | $2,685 | $620 | $15.49 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $36,280 | $3,023 | $698 | $17.44 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $43,060 | $3,588 | $828 | $20.70 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $47,100 | $3,925 | $906 | $22.65 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Packers and Packagers, Hand is $36,280, which is 29% lower. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 46 by median pay. With 559,820 jobs, it makes up about 36 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Packers and Packagers, Hand pay by state
The highest median pay was in Kansas ($44,460), New Jersey ($43,840) and Alaska ($41,670). The lowest was in Guam ($21,030), Puerto Rico ($21,840) and Virgin Islands ($22,880). The most jobs were in California (79,730), New Jersey (71,260) and Texas (46,510). The occupation is most concentrated in New Jersey, where its share of all jobs is 4.6 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 9,900 | $44,460 | $41,330 | $21.38 |
| New Jersey | 71,260 | $43,840 | $41,750 | $21.08 |
| Alaska | 560 | $41,670 | $42,420 | $20.04 |
| District of Columbia | 170 | $40,910 | $41,930 | $19.67 |
| Colorado | 4,120 | $40,730 | $42,580 | $19.58 |
| Minnesota | 5,460 | $40,310 | $41,430 | $19.38 |
| Vermont | 810 | $39,440 | $40,180 | $18.96 |
| Washington | 11,940 | $39,220 | $41,600 | $18.86 |
| Nebraska | 3,010 | $38,880 | $40,350 | $18.69 |
| Missouri | 5,910 | $37,670 | $38,170 | $18.11 |
| Iowa | 4,090 | $37,470 | $38,330 | $18.02 |
| Indiana | 9,690 | $37,420 | $39,350 | $17.99 |
| Nevada | 3,750 | $37,400 | $38,750 | $17.98 |
| Delaware | 2,030 | $37,290 | $40,750 | $17.93 |
| California | 79,730 | $37,260 | $40,010 | $17.91 |
| New York | 14,830 | $37,260 | $39,610 | $17.91 |
| Arizona | 7,380 | $37,060 | $38,890 | $17.82 |
| Ohio | 20,700 | $37,000 | $37,610 | $17.79 |
| Pennsylvania | 22,990 | $36,960 | $38,360 | $17.77 |
| Idaho | 2,020 | $36,920 | $36,660 | $17.75 |
| Kentucky | 5,900 | $36,850 | $38,810 | $17.72 |
| Rhode Island | 1,830 | $36,730 | $38,780 | $17.66 |
| Maine | 1,460 | $36,330 | $36,880 | $17.47 |
| Oregon | 6,370 | $36,190 | $37,640 | $17.40 |
| Illinois | 23,270 | $36,090 | $37,990 | $17.35 |
| Utah | 5,740 | $36,060 | $35,810 | $17.34 |
| Wisconsin | 13,130 | $36,010 | $37,180 | $17.31 |
| Tennessee | 14,030 | $35,980 | $36,170 | $17.30 |
| Hawaii | 2,010 | $35,930 | $38,020 | $17.28 |
| Connecticut | 4,280 | $35,890 | $38,380 | $17.25 |
| Maryland | 4,230 | $35,860 | $38,030 | $17.24 |
| Michigan | 15,590 | $35,340 | $35,950 | $16.99 |
| Virginia | 7,790 | $35,000 | $36,470 | $16.83 |
| Montana | 1,490 | $34,960 | $35,820 | $16.81 |
| Oklahoma | 3,900 | $34,520 | $34,270 | $16.60 |
| North Carolina | 19,600 | $34,360 | $34,690 | $16.52 |
| Massachusetts | 15,330 | $34,200 | $36,190 | $16.44 |
| Arkansas | 3,050 | $33,930 | $35,080 | $16.31 |
| Georgia | 17,380 | $33,260 | $34,270 | $15.99 |
| Mississippi | 3,490 | $33,240 | $32,160 | $15.98 |
| Texas | 46,510 | $33,090 | $33,440 | $15.91 |
| South Carolina | 7,610 | $32,180 | $33,600 | $15.47 |
| Wyoming | 340 | $32,110 | $33,480 | $15.44 |
| Alabama | 7,050 | $31,770 | $32,380 | $15.28 |
| North Dakota | 470 | $31,440 | $32,920 | $15.11 |
| New Hampshire | 3,300 | $30,700 | $32,740 | $14.76 |
| South Dakota | 1,040 | $28,760 | $32,400 | $13.83 |
| West Virginia | 1,140 | $28,740 | $31,780 | $13.82 |
| Florida | 38,860 | $28,280 | $32,210 | $13.60 |
| New Mexico | 1,050 | $28,070 | $32,310 | $13.50 |
| Louisiana | 2,280 | $27,710 | $30,370 | $13.32 |
| Virgin Islands | 100 | $22,880 | $25,770 | $11.00 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,840 | $21,840 | $23,020 | $10.50 |
| Guam | 240 | $21,030 | $21,930 | $10.11 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330 a year
- Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$37,290 a year
- Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$37,180 a year
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$35,830 a year
- Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$35,670 a year
- Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians$35,450 a year
Common questions
How much do Packers and Packagers, Hand earn in the United States?
The median pay was $36,280 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,890 and the highest-paid 10% more than $47,100.
How many people work as Packers and Packagers, Hand?
About 559,820 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.