Packers and packagers, hand
Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.
Packers and packagers, hand pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials. The role reports a median annual salary of $35,580 in the US and is projected to decline by 5% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a No formal educational credential, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.55 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Monitoring, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Coordination, Reading Comprehension.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £26,152 a year for Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £23,628 to £30,343 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 9132). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Elementary occupations” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Packers and packagers, hand, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 9. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
You start your shift at the packing table, reading the order list and gathering the cartons, padding and tape you will need. You fold and assemble boxes, line them with protective material and check each product for damage or defects before it goes in. Many orders need exact quantities, so you count and weigh items carefully on the scale. You seal each carton with tape, staples or glue, then mark and label it with the product code and destination. By mid-morning you are moving finished boxes to the dispatch area on a trolley and restocking your table with fresh materials. After lunch you record product and order details on the tracking sheet so shipments can be traced later. When an item does not match its packing specifications, you set it aside and alert your supervisor. The tasks repeat all day and standing for long hours is tiring, but seeing a neat stack of correctly packed orders ready to leave is satisfying.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Packers and packagers, hand do?
Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.
What does a typical day look like in Packers and packagers, hand?
You start your shift at the packing table, reading the order list and gathering the cartons, padding and tape you will need. You fold and assemble boxes, line them with protective material and check each product for damage or defects before it goes in. Many orders need exact quantities, so you count and weigh items carefully on the scale. You seal each carton with tape, staples or glue, then mark and label it with the product code and destination.
How much does Packers and packagers, hand earn?
The median annual salary for Packers and packagers, hand in the US is $35,580.
What is the job outlook for Packers and packagers, hand?
The role is projected to decline by 5% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 591,800 workers.
How do I become packers and packagers, hand?
The typical entry education is a No formal educational credential. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Packers and packagers, hand need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Monitoring, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Coordination, Reading Comprehension, Speaking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Packers and packagers, hand?
Our AI-durability model gives Packers and packagers, hand a score of 0.55 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Packers and packagers, hand has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.