Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in St. Cloud, MN is $39,620/year ($19.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.63), which stretches that salary to about $45,213 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,206/month, about 44.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in St. Cloud?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by St. Cloud’s Regional Price Parity (87.63). 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 St. Cloud
Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders pay in St. Cloud tracks closely to the national median, $40K locally vs. $43K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,206/month, which is 44.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.63 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in metros near St. Cloud, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $45K | $43K |
| Rochester | $39K | $43K |
| Mankato | $47K | $52K |
| Duluth | $48K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, St. Cloud, MN
Entry-level packaging and filling machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $14K 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 St. Cloud numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a packaging and filling machine operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in St. Cloud?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 44.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,206/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 St. Cloud?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new packaging and filling machine operators and tenders typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,107/month. At HUD’s $1,206/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 St. Cloud?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $40K locally vs. $43K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does St. Cloud compare to the national average for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders?
St. Cloud pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do packaging and filling machine operators and tenders make in St. Cloud, MN?
The median is $39,620 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,110, and experienced packaging and filling machine operators and tenders can clear $49,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in St. Cloud?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,711/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,206/month, which eats 44.5% 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 St. Cloud?
St. Cloud has a Regional Price Parity of 87.63 (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 $45,213 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.