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Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $43,220 Median per year · $20.78/hr Most earn $33,390–$60,030

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Monitor the production line, watching for problems such as pile-ups, jams, or glue that isn't sticking properly.
  • Adjust machine components and machine tension and pressure according to size or processing angle of product.
  • Observe machine operations to ensure quality and conformity of filled or packaged products to standards.
  • Stock and sort product for packaging or filling machine operation, and replenish packaging supplies, such as wrapping paper, plastic sheet, boxes, cartons, glue, ink, or labels.
  • Clean, oil, and make minor adjustments or repairs to machinery and equipment, such as opening valves or setting guides.
  • Stock and sort product for packaging or filling machine operation, and replenish packaging supplies, such as wrapping paper, plastic sheet, boxes, cartons, glue, ink, or labels.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 41,400 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Animal slaughtering and processing9.9%
  • Other food manufacturing8.6%
  • Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing8.6%
  • Dairy product manufacturing7.1%
  • Chemical manufacturing6.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 3 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 3 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Many people start right after high school, with a short on-the-job training period of about 1 to 3 months, and can work toward it in a few months.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school with good basics in math and reading, since you'll read machine settings and follow written procedures.

  2. Machine Feeder and Offbearer

    1-3 months

    Start by loading materials into machines and removing finished items, which teaches you how production lines run and how to work safely around equipment.

  3. Packaging and Filling Machine Operator

    Ongoing

    Run and monitor packaging or filling machines, check product quality, and make small adjustments while the machine runs.

Where it can lead

  1. Packaging Line Lead

    1-3 years of experience first

    You help train newer operators, keep the line moving, and report problems, which builds the teamwork and communication skills needed for leadership.

  2. Production Supervisor

    3-5 years of experience first

    You manage a shift or area, schedule workers, track output and safety, and handle larger decisions, which usually requires strong organization and problem-solving skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and shop or technology classesMath helps with measuring and counting, and shop classes teach you how machines work and how to use them safely.
  • Join a career or technical student organizationGroups like SkillsUSA-style clubs or your school's CTE program build teamwork and hands-on skills that employers look for.
  • Get a part-time or summer job in a warehouse, grocery, or food plantAny job where you pack, sort, or run equipment gives you real experience with production work and shows reliability.
  • Practice following step-by-step instructionsOperators follow written procedures closely, so practice with lab procedures, recipes, or building kits to build that habit.

In college

  • Take courses in manufacturing, mechanics, or industrial technologyThese classes explain how production machines work, which helps you learn new equipment faster on the job.
  • Get a summer job or internship at a manufacturing or packaging plantHands-on time on a real production line shows employers you can handle the pace and safety rules.
  • Earn a basic safety or forklift certification if your school or town offers oneSafety certificates are common in plants and show you take workplace rules seriously.
  • Join a campus engineering, technology, or business clubClubs teach teamwork and problem-solving, which help you move from operator to lead or supervisor later.
  • Work a campus job that involves equipment or inventoryJobs in a dining hall, bookstore stockroom, or campus facility build reliability and practical skills.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local factory or food plant whether they hire high school students or new graduates for entry roles, and ask what training they provide.
  • Learn basic machine safety and keep a clean, careful work habit. Employers value reliability and attention to detail as much as experience.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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