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Food and Beverage Manufacturing
Tyson Foods, Nestlé, PepsiCo
Packers and Packagers, Hand
Hand packers sort, count, wrap, seal, label, and inspect products before they go out the door. The job is distinct because the quality of the final package depends on speed and accuracy at the same time: move fast enough to keep up with production, but careful enough to catch damaged items, wrong counts, or bad labels.
Also known as PackagerPackaging AssociatePacking AssociateHand PackerProduct Packer
Median Salary
$35,580
Mean $36,600
U.S. Workforce
~601K
74K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-5.4%
591.8K to 559.7K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Packers and Packagers, Hand sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~601K workers, with a median annual pay of $35,580 and roughly 74K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 591.8 K in 2024 to 559.7K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or GED, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Entry-Level Warehouse Helper and can progress toward Packing or Shipping Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Product Inspection & Quality Checks, Counting, Weighing & Measuring, and Order Labels, Packing Records & Barcode Scanners, paired with soft skills such as Attention to detail, Active listening, and Critical thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Count, weigh, and measure items before they are packed.
- Put products into cartons, crates, bags, or other containers and add padding or dividers when needed.
- Seal packages and apply labels, tags, or markings so shipments are easy to identify.
- Move, sort, and stage products and orders by hand using simple tools.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Count, weigh, and measure items before they are packed.
02 Put products into cartons, crates, bags, or other containers and add padding or dividers when needed.
03 Seal packages and apply labels, tags, or markings so shipments are easy to identify.
04 Move, sort, and stage products and orders by hand using simple tools.
05 Check finished packages for damage, missing items, and correct packing details.
06 Clean the packing area and fill out basic records about what was packed and shipped.
Industries That Hire
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E-commerce and Retail Fulfillment
Amazon, Walmart, Target
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Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
Pfizer, McKesson, Cardinal Health
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Consumer Packaged Goods
Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive
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Agriculture and Food Processing
Cargill, Dole, General Mills
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The barrier to entry is low: employers often hire people with no formal credential and teach the work quickly on the job.
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There are a lot of openings, with about 74.0K annual openings even though the occupation is expected to shrink overall.
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The day-to-day work is easy to understand, so you usually know exactly what good performance looks like.
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Skills from this job transfer to warehouse, shipping, and production work, which can help if you want to move around inside a company.
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You can start earning fairly quickly without years of schooling or licensing.
Challenges
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Pay is modest for a full-time job, with a mean wage of $36,600 and a median of $35,580.
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Employment is projected to fall by 5.4%, or 32.2K jobs, by 2034, so the long-term outlook is not strong.
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The work is repetitive and physical, with a lot of standing, lifting, counting, and sorting.
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Automation and better packaging equipment can reduce the need for hand packers, especially in larger plants and warehouses.
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There is often a ceiling unless you move into lead, shipping, or supervisor roles, so staying in the same job may not lead to much pay growth.
Career Progression
Entry-Level Warehouse Helper
0-1 years
$28K-$32K
New workers learn how to sort items, move supplies, follow packing instructions, and keep the work area organized.
Hand Packer
1-3 years
$33K-$38K
Workers handle the full packing process, including counting, labeling, sealing, and checking finished packages for mistakes.
Senior Packer / Line Lead THIS ROLE
3-5 years
$39K-$46K
Experienced workers keep the line moving, help fix packing problems, and may guide newer packers on pace and quality.
Packing or Shipping Supervisor
5-8 years
$47K-$58K
Supervisors coordinate staff, watch output and quality, and handle scheduling, training, and problem-solving on the floor.
Education Paths
High school diploma or GED
The most common preparation route, held by 53.78% of workers in this role.
Less than a high school diploma
A sizable share of workers, 32.52%, enter without finishing high school and learn the job on site.
Some college courses
Another 13.7% have some college, but a degree is usually not required for this work.
Short-term warehouse safety or OSHA training
A practical non-degree option for candidates who want to show they understand basic safety, lifting, and packaging rules before being hired.
Key Skills
Technical
Product Inspection & Quality Checks 50%
Counting, Weighing & Measuring 44%
Order Labels, Packing Records & Barcode Scanners 44%
Hand Sorting, Staging & Material Handling 41%
Carton Assembly, Sealing Tools & Fasteners 41%
Work Area Cleaning & Safety Procedures 31%
Soft Skills
Attention to detailActive listeningCritical thinkingCoordinationReading comprehensionClear communication Job Outlook and Trends
+-5.4%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
74K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 591.8K to 559.7 K over the next decade, representing -5.4% growth. Around 74 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.