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Packaging Machine Operator Salary by State (2026)
Packaging Machine Operators (Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders) hold 379,030 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $42,674 per year, but the median ranges from $35,640 in New Mexico to $49,450 in New Hampshire. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Packaging Machine Operator salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| New Hampshire | $49,450 | 620 |
| Wyoming | $48,890 | 360 |
| Missouri | $48,070 | 12,620 |
| Maine | $47,970 | 1,490 |
| North Dakota | $47,390 | 760 |
| Idaho | $46,720 | 3,950 |
| Vermont | $46,670 | 880 |
| West Virginia | $46,410 | 810 |
| Nebraska | $46,220 | 4,410 |
| Wisconsin | $46,220 | 16,150 |
| Colorado | $46,010 | 4,760 |
| Iowa | $45,660 | 6,990 |
| Kentucky | $45,450 | 8,640 |
| Oregon | $45,180 | 5,370 |
| Virginia | $44,950 | 6,150 |
| Kansas | $44,890 | 7,920 |
| Indiana | $44,600 | 12,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,480 | 19,340 |
| Montana | $44,350 | 380 |
| California | $44,020 | 43,430 |
| South Dakota | $43,860 | 1,000 |
| Utah | $43,780 | 6,350 |
| Maryland | $43,670 | 3,030 |
| Ohio | $43,310 | 17,850 |
| Tennessee | $43,190 | 7,400 |
| Illinois | $43,150 | 29,400 |
| Georgia | $42,920 | 11,380 |
| Washington | $41,700 | 8,450 |
| Michigan | $41,690 | 10,940 |
| North Carolina | $41,150 | 11,870 |
| Minnesota | $40,960 | 7,340 |
| Arizona | $40,560 | 7,090 |
| Massachusetts | $40,360 | 5,020 |
| New Jersey | $40,280 | 9,810 |
| South Carolina | $40,010 | 4,890 |
| Connecticut | $39,460 | 1,540 |
| New York | $39,330 | 18,150 |
| Oklahoma | $39,310 | 3,150 |
| Texas | $38,950 | 22,970 |
| Alaska | $38,730 | 260 |
| Delaware | $38,500 | 680 |
| Louisiana | $38,370 | 1,910 |
| Rhode Island | $38,330 | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $37,820 | 3,240 |
| Arkansas | $37,740 | 4,630 |
| Mississippi | $37,720 | 3,030 |
| Nevada | $37,440 | 2,700 |
| Florida | $37,170 | 14,010 |
| Hawaii | $36,810 | 380 |
| New Mexico | $35,640 | 1,550 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Packaging Machine Operator salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Packaging Machine Operator salary in the US is about $42,674 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 379,030 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Packaging Machine Operators the most?
- New Hampshire has the highest median Packaging Machine Operator salary at $49,450 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Packaging Machine Operators the least?
- New Mexico has the lowest median at $35,640 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders, code 51-9111). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.