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Skilled Trades

Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

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

Median salary (BLS)

$43,220

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$33k – $60k

Job outlook

+5% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

    Entry / Junior

    $33,390

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

    Established

    $43,220

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

    Senior

    $51,625

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Attach identification labels to finished packaged items, or cut stencils and stencil information on containers, such as lot numbers or shipping destinations.
  • •Sort, grade, weigh, and inspect products, verifying and adjusting product weight or measurement to meet specifications.
  • •Stop or reset machines when malfunctions occur, clear machine jams, and report malfunctions to a supervisor.
  • •Observe machine operations to ensure quality and conformity of filled or packaged products to standards.
  • •Remove finished packaged items from machine and separate rejected items.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.