Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Also called: Bundler, Filler Operator, Machine Operator, Packaging OperatorOperate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 3 of its 20 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 4.1% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 8.6% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 8.4 hires for every 10 job openings in nondurable goods manufacturing, which employs about 73% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.8.4 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $37,820 | $31,970 to $46,110 | 3,240 |
| Alaska | $38,730 | $36,920 to $47,560 | 260 |
| Arizona | $40,560 | $36,600 to $48,510 | 7,090 |
| Arkansas | $37,740 | $35,360 to $44,890 | 4,630 |
| California | $44,020 | $37,690 to $49,300 | 43,430 |
| Colorado | $46,010 | $38,630 to $50,300 | 4,760 |
| Connecticut | $39,460 | $36,500 to $46,920 | 1,540 |
| Delaware | $38,500 | $36,800 to $45,440 | 680 |
| Florida | $37,170 | $31,840 to $45,350 | 14,010 |
| Georgia | $42,920 | $35,560 to $53,040 | 11,380 |
| Hawaii | $36,810 | $32,270 to $39,200 | 380 |
| Idaho | $46,720 | $37,240 to $52,260 | 3,950 |
| Illinois | $43,150 | $37,590 to $48,030 | 29,400 |
| Indiana | $44,600 | $36,410 to $50,100 | 12,880 |
| Iowa | $45,660 | $40,810 to $51,560 | 6,990 |
| Kansas | $44,890 | $37,770 to $48,610 | 7,920 |
| Kentucky | $45,450 | $38,640 to $52,620 | 8,640 |
| Louisiana | $38,370 | $29,980 to $47,130 | 1,910 |
| Maine | $47,970 | $39,100 to $58,630 | 1,490 |
| Maryland | $43,670 | $37,490 to $59,160 | 3,030 |
| Massachusetts | $40,360 | $37,050 to $47,680 | 5,020 |
| Michigan | $41,690 | $36,290 to $48,510 | 10,940 |
| Minnesota | $40,960 | $37,980 to $48,180 | 7,340 |
| Mississippi | $37,720 | $30,320 to $40,970 | 3,030 |
| Missouri | $48,070 | $42,250 to $57,020 | 12,620 |
| Montana | $44,350 | $36,820 to $50,890 | 380 |
| Nebraska | $46,220 | $38,570 to $49,400 | 4,410 |
| Nevada | $37,440 | $28,860 to $48,580 | 2,700 |
| New Hampshire | $49,450 | $46,420 to $58,030 | 620 |
| New Jersey | $40,280 | $35,350 to $48,640 | 9,810 |
| New Mexico | $35,640 | $31,950 to $39,470 | 1,550 |
| New York | $39,330 | $36,310 to $47,730 | 18,150 |
| North Carolina | $41,150 | $36,160 to $49,190 | 11,870 |
| North Dakota | $47,390 | $43,980 to $51,190 | 760 |
| Ohio | $43,310 | $37,080 to $49,190 | 17,850 |
| Oklahoma | $39,310 | $36,190 to $44,640 | 3,150 |
| Oregon | $45,180 | $38,060 to $52,630 | 5,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,480 | $37,250 to $50,230 | 19,340 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,970 | $23,260 to $40,450 | 3,520 |
| Rhode Island | $38,330 | $36,990 to $53,120 | 1,100 |
| South Carolina | $40,010 | $36,930 to $47,230 | 4,890 |
| South Dakota | $43,860 | $38,890 to $46,790 | 1,000 |
| Tennessee | $43,190 | $36,000 to $49,990 | 7,400 |
| Texas | $38,950 | $33,880 to $46,350 | 22,970 |
| Utah | $43,780 | $37,470 to $49,850 | 6,350 |
| Vermont | $46,670 | $38,800 to $49,240 | 880 |
| Virginia | $44,950 | $35,990 to $53,120 | 6,150 |
| Washington | $41,700 | $38,100 to $48,040 | 8,450 |
| West Virginia | $46,410 | $36,870 to $55,560 | 810 |
| Wisconsin | $46,220 | $39,160 to $50,000 | 16,150 |
| Wyoming | $48,890 | $39,000 to $58,800 | 360 |
Nationally: $43,220. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 3 of its 20 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Attach identification labels to finished packaged items, or cut stencils and stencil information on containers, such as lot numbers or shipping destinations. | Not published |
| Not much | Remove finished packaged items from machine and separate rejected items. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect and remove defective products and packaging material. | Not published |
| AI + software | Stop or reset machines when malfunctions occur, clear machine jams, and report malfunctions to a supervisor. | Not published |
| Not much | Observe machine operations to ensure quality and conformity of filled or packaged products to standards. | Not published |
| Not much | Start machine by engaging controls. | Not published |
See all 20 tasks
| Not much | Sort, grade, weigh, and inspect products, verifying and adjusting product weight or measurement to meet specifications. | Not published |
| Not much | Stack finished packaged items, or wrap protective material around each item, and pack the items in cartons or containers. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Package the product in the form in which it will be sent out, for example, filling bags with flour from a chute or spout. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean, oil, and make minor adjustments or repairs to machinery and equipment, such as opening valves or setting guides. | Not published |
| AI + software | Count and record finished and rejected packaged items. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean packaging containers, line and pad crates, or assemble cartons to prepare for product packing. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean and remove damaged or otherwise inferior materials to prepare raw products for processing. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor the production line, watching for problems such as pile-ups, jams, or glue that isn't sticking properly. | Not published |
| Not much | Regulate machine flow, speed, or temperature. | Not published |
| Not much | Supply materials to spindles, conveyors, hoppers, or other feeding devices and unload packaged product. | Not published |
| Not much | Adjust machine components and machine tension and pressure according to size or processing angle of product. | Not published |
| Not much | Tend or operate machine that packages product. | Not published |
| Not much | Secure finished packaged items by hand tying, sewing, gluing, stapling, or attaching fastener. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 20 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 20 tasks fall under 19 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package objects | |||
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Sort materials or products | |||
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Remove workpieces from production equipment | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment | |||
| Clean workpieces, finished products, or other objects |
Show all 19 activities
| Inspect completed work or finished products | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Mark materials or objects for identification | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Repair tools or equipment | |||
| Position workpieces or materials on equipment | |||
| Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products | |||
| Prepare industrial materials for processing or use | |||
| Sew garments or materials | |||
| Load products, materials, or equipment for transportation or further processing |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 11,839 moves out
- 1 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 5%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 4 Sales Managers High +4.5% 3%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers High +1.8% 2%
Where people moved in from
of 11,939 moves in
- 1 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 10%
- 2 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Cashiers High -6.5% 4%
- 4 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 4%
- 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 80% high school
- 1% postsecondary certificate
- 2% associate's
- 17% not published
O*NET marks 17% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 21 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 30% less than high school
- 45% high school
- 16% some college
- 4% associate's
- 4% bachelor's
- 1% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 2,015 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
16.4% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | <0.5% | 19.1% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a certification | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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