Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $38,040/year ($18.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $34,963 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 118.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Maria-Santa Barbara’s Regional Price Parity (108.8). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Pay for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $43K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 117.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.8), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for packaging and filling machine operators and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in metros near Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $43K | $38K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $44K | $41K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $46K | $40K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $40K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Entry-level packaging and filling machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $17K 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a packaging and filling machine operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 117.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,124/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new packaging and filling machine operators and tenders typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,160/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 145% 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $38K here vs. $43K nationally.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do packaging and filling machine operators and tenders make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $38,040 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,000, and experienced packaging and filling machine operators and tenders can clear $53,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,659/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 117.5% 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara has a Regional Price Parity of 108.8 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median packaging and filling machine operators and tenders salary is worth about $34,963 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.