Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $38,070/year ($18.3/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $37,734 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,977/month, about 72.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Pay for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater 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 $1,977/month, which is 72.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $36K | $31K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $38K | $37K |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $39K | $40K |
| Jacksonville | $37K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level packaging and filling machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $24K 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a packaging and filling machine operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 72.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new packaging and filling machine operators and tenders typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,754/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 113% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $38K here vs. $43K nationally.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do packaging and filling machine operators and tenders make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $38,070 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,230, and experienced packaging and filling machine operators and tenders can clear $53,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,719/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 72.7% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $37,734 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.