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Packers and Packagers, Hand

ManufacturingO*NET 53-7064.00United States

Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$36,166

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
−0.2%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

86.3% of the workforce

Employment
578.91K jobs

Growing to 577.63K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What packers and packagers, hand do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Examine and inspect containers, materials, or products to ensure that product quality and packing specifications are met.
  • Measure, weigh, and count products and materials.
  • Record product, packaging, and order information on specified forms and records.
  • Seal containers or materials, using glues, fasteners, nails, and hand tools.
  • Assemble, line, and pad cartons, crates, and containers, using hand tools.
  • Obtain, move, and sort products, materials, containers, and orders, using hand tools.
  • Mark and label containers, container tags, or products, using marking tools.
  • Clean containers, materials, supplies, or work areas, using cleaning solutions and hand tools.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$27,691
25th percentile
$32,028
50th percentile
$36,166
75th percentile
$43,050
90th percentile
$47,283

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $36,166 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

−0.2%projected to decline
2025578,911 jobs
2035 projected577,627 jobs

1,284 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
86.3%
Some college
13.7%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Warehousing
  • Packaging And Labeling
  • Lifting Ability
  • Palletizing
  • Forklift Truck
  • Pallet Jacks
  • Loading And Unloading
  • General Mathematics
  • Order Picking
  • Good Manufacturing Practices
  • Safety Procedures
  • Machinery
  • Housekeeping
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Food Safety And Sanitation
  • Inventory Management
  • Material Handling Equipment
  • Merchandising
  • Order Fulfillment Management
  • Finished Good

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Packers5,243 postings
  2. 02Warehouse Pickers/Packers3,898 postings
  3. 03Pickers/Packers2,552 postings
  4. 04General Warehouse Associates2,366 postings
  5. 05Order Pickers2,037 postings
  6. 06Packaging Associates1,829 postings
  7. 07Packagers1,231 postings
  8. 08Warehouse Order Pickers1,198 postings
  9. 09Inspector Packers728 postings
  10. 10Production Packers709 postings
  11. 11Pickers642 postings
  12. 12Packaging Specialists634 postings
  13. 13Warehousers621 postings
  14. 14Fulfillment Specialists554 postings
  15. 15Warehouse Order Pullers509 postings
  16. 16Forklift Operators415 postings
  17. 17Hospitality Workers389 postings
  18. 18Packing Associates381 postings
  19. 19Shippers/Packers322 postings
  20. 20Case Pickers292 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Randstad5,094 postings
  2. 02Aerotek2,599 postings
  3. 03ManpowerGroup793 postings
  4. 04Adecco651 postings
  5. 05Staples548 postings
  6. 06Kelly Services547 postings
  7. 07Spherion Staffing460 postings
  8. 08Staffmark455 postings
  9. 09Chewy420 postings
  10. 10Focus Workforce Management411 postings
  11. 11Surge Staffing334 postings
  12. 1248forty Solutions331 postings
  13. 13GXO Logistics325 postings
  14. 14Tyson Foods315 postings
  15. 15Express Employment Professionals284 postings
  16. 16CVS Health252 postings
  17. 17McLane Company250 postings
  18. 18Fastenal248 postings
  19. 19Core-Mark International247 postings
  20. 20Amcor243 postings

Keep looking

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