Packers and Packagers, Hand Salary
The median pay for a packers and packagers, hand in California is $37,260/year ($17.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $35,105 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 96.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $37K get you in California?
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What this looks like in California
Packers and packagers, hand pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 94.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level packers and packagers, hands (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Packers and Packagers, Hand salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $42K | +14% | 3,600 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $42K | +12% | 5,750 |
| Modesto | $41K | +9% | 1,620 |
| Napa | $39K | +5% | 310 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $38K | +3% | 710 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $38K | +3% | 10,560 |
| Yuba City | $38K | +2% | 220 |
| Vallejo | $38K | +2% | 690 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $37K | +1% | 3,110 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $37K | +0% | 25,350 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $37K | -1% | 5,470 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $37K | -2% | 2,760 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $37K | -2% | 390 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $36K | -3% | 420 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $36K | -3% | 720 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $36K | -4% | 380 |
| Chico | $36K | -4% | 320 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $36K | -4% | 1,830 |
| Salinas | $35K | -5% | 2,700 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $35K | -5% | 2,480 |
| Fresno | $35K | -6% | 4,320 |
| Redding | $35K | -7% | 210 |
| Visalia | $35K | -7% | 1,420 |
| Merced | $34K | -8% | 1,160 |
| El Centro | $34K | -8% | 380 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
Compare to other states
Track packers and packagers, hand salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a packers and packagers, hand afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 94.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/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 packers and packagers, hands in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new packers and packagers, hands typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,062/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 120% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is packers and packagers, hand a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for packers and packagers, hands?
California pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do packers and packagers, hands make in California?
The median is $37,260 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,360, and experienced packers and packagers, hands can clear $48,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,609/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 94.7% 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 packers and packagers, hand salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 packers and packagers, hand salary is worth about $35,105 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do packers and packagers, hands 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.