Packers and Packagers, Hand Salary
The median pay for a packers and packagers, hand in Missoula, MT is $39,520/year ($19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.44), that's roughly $40,979 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,361/month, about 50.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Missoula?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Missoula’s Regional Price Parity (96.44). 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.
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What this looks like in Missoula
Packers and packagers, hand pay in Missoula tracks closely to the national median, $40K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,361/month, which is 50.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for packers and packagers, hands in metros near Missoula, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $36K | $39K |
| Bozeman | $40K | $39K |
| Helena | $35K | $37K |
| Great Falls | $30K | $31K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missoula, MT
Entry-level packers and packagers, hands (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Packers and Packagers, Hand pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Packers and Packagers, Hand salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | $44K | +23% | 9,900 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +21% | 71,260 |
| Alaska | $42K | +15% | 560 |
| District of Columbia | $41K | +13% | 170 |
| Colorado | $41K | +12% | 4,120 |
| Minnesota | $40K | +11% | 5,460 |
| Vermont | $39K | +9% | 810 |
| Washington | $39K | +8% | 11,940 |
| Nebraska | $39K | +7% | 3,010 |
| Missouri | $38K | +4% | 5,910 |
| Iowa | $37K | +3% | 4,090 |
| Indiana | $37K | +3% | 9,690 |
| Nevada | $37K | +3% | 3,750 |
| Delaware | $37K | +3% | 2,030 |
| California | $37K | +3% | 79,730 |
| New York | $37K | +3% | 14,830 |
| Arizona | $37K | +2% | 7,380 |
| Ohio | $37K | +2% | 20,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | +2% | 22,990 |
| Idaho | $37K | +2% | 2,020 |
| Kentucky | $37K | +2% | 5,900 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | +1% | 1,830 |
| Maine | $36K | +0% | 1,460 |
| Oregon | $36K | -0% | 6,370 |
| Illinois | $36K | -1% | 23,270 |
| Utah | $36K | -1% | 5,740 |
| Wisconsin | $36K | -1% | 13,130 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -1% | 14,030 |
| Hawaii | $36K | -1% | 2,010 |
| Connecticut | $36K | -1% | 4,280 |
| Maryland | $36K | -1% | 4,230 |
| Michigan | $35K | -3% | 15,590 |
| Virginia | $35K | -4% | 7,790 |
| Montana | $35K | -4% | 1,490 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -5% | 3,900 |
| North Carolina | $34K | -5% | 19,600 |
| Massachusetts | $34K | -6% | 15,330 |
| Arkansas | $34K | -6% | 3,050 |
| Georgia | $33K | -8% | 17,380 |
| Mississippi | $33K | -8% | 3,490 |
| Texas | $33K | -9% | 46,510 |
| South Carolina | $32K | -11% | 7,610 |
| Wyoming | $32K | -11% | 340 |
| Alabama | $32K | -12% | 7,050 |
| North Dakota | $31K | -13% | 470 |
| New Hampshire | $31K | -15% | 3,300 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -21% | 1,040 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -21% | 1,140 |
| Florida | $28K | -22% | 38,860 |
| New Mexico | $28K | -23% | 1,050 |
| Louisiana | $28K | -24% | 2,280 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track packers and packagers, hand salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missoula numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a packers and packagers, hand afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missoula?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 50.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,361/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 Missoula?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new packers and packagers, hands typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,388/month. At HUD’s $1,361/month FMR, rent would take 98% 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 Missoula?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $40K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Missoula compare to the national average for packers and packagers, hands?
Missoula pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do packers and packagers, hands make in Missoula, MT?
The median is $39,520 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,140, and experienced packers and packagers, hands can clear $48,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Missoula?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,714/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,361/month, which eats 50.1% 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 Missoula?
Missoula has a Regional Price Parity of 96.44 (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 packers and packagers, hand salary is worth about $40,979 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.