Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI is $48,800/year ($23.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.84), which stretches that salary to about $51,455 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,162/month, about 34.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kalamazoo-Portage’s Regional Price Parity (94.84). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Kalamazoo-Portage
Kalamazoo-Portage sits well above the national pay line for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $43K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,162/month, which is 35.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in metros near Kalamazoo-Portage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $42K | $44K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $39K | $39K |
| Battle Creek | $50K | $55K |
| Ann Arbor | $41K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Entry-level packaging and filling machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $49K | +14% | 620 |
| Wyoming | $49K | +13% | 360 |
| Missouri | $48K | +11% | 12,620 |
| Maine | $48K | +11% | 1,490 |
| North Dakota | $47K | +10% | 760 |
| Idaho | $47K | +8% | 3,950 |
| Vermont | $47K | +8% | 880 |
| West Virginia | $46K | +7% | 810 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +7% | 16,150 |
| Nebraska | $46K | +7% | 4,410 |
| Colorado | $46K | +6% | 4,760 |
| Iowa | $46K | +6% | 6,990 |
| Kentucky | $45K | +5% | 8,640 |
| Oregon | $45K | +5% | 5,370 |
| Virginia | $45K | +4% | 6,150 |
| Kansas | $45K | +4% | 7,920 |
| Indiana | $45K | +3% | 12,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | +3% | 19,340 |
| Montana | $44K | +3% | 380 |
| California | $44K | +2% | 43,430 |
| South Dakota | $44K | +1% | 1,000 |
| Utah | $44K | +1% | 6,350 |
| Maryland | $44K | +1% | 3,030 |
| Ohio | $43K | +0% | 17,850 |
| Tennessee | $43K | -0% | 7,400 |
| Illinois | $43K | -0% | 29,400 |
| Georgia | $43K | -1% | 11,380 |
| Washington | $42K | -4% | 8,450 |
| Michigan | $42K | -4% | 10,940 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -5% | 11,870 |
| Minnesota | $41K | -5% | 7,340 |
| Arizona | $41K | -6% | 7,090 |
| Massachusetts | $40K | -7% | 5,020 |
| New Jersey | $40K | -7% | 9,810 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -7% | 4,890 |
| Connecticut | $39K | -9% | 1,540 |
| New York | $39K | -9% | 18,150 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -9% | 3,150 |
| Texas | $39K | -10% | 22,970 |
| Alaska | $39K | -10% | 260 |
| Delaware | $39K | -11% | 680 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -11% | 1,910 |
| Rhode Island | $38K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $38K | -12% | 3,240 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -13% | 4,630 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -13% | 3,030 |
| Nevada | $37K | -13% | 2,700 |
| Florida | $37K | -14% | 14,010 |
| Hawaii | $37K | -15% | 380 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -18% | 1,550 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track packaging and filling machine operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kalamazoo-Portage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a packaging and filling machine operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kalamazoo-Portage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 35.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,162/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in Kalamazoo-Portage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new packaging and filling machine operators and tenders typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,241/month. At HUD’s $1,162/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is packaging and filling machine operators and tender a high-paying job in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $49K here vs. $43K nationally.
How does Kalamazoo-Portage compare to the national average for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders?
Kalamazoo-Portage pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do packaging and filling machine operators and tenders make in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?
The median is $48,800 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,350, and experienced packaging and filling machine operators and tenders can clear $59,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Kalamazoo-Portage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,265/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,162/month, which eats 35.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a packaging and filling machine operators and tenders salary go in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Kalamazoo-Portage has a Regional Price Parity of 94.84 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median packaging and filling machine operators and tenders salary is worth about $51,455 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do packaging and filling machine operators and tenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.