Transportation and material moving
Packers and packagers, hand
Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.
Median pay
$36,280
Growth to 2035
−5%
declining
Openings a year
61,800
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Packers and packagers, hand
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Packers and packagers, hand: 25% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: Bagger · Crater · Mini Shifter · Pack Out Operator · Packager · Packaging Specialist · Packer · Picker and Packer
Outlook and AI
Packers and packagers, hand held 555,500 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 528,000 by 2035 (−5%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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- Packers and packagers, hand vs. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Packers and packagers, hand vs. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Packers and packagers, hand vs. Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Packers and packagers, hand vs. Cutters and trimmers, hand
- Packers and packagers, hand vs. Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping
- Packers and packagers, hand vs. Production worker helper