Machine Feeders and Offbearers vs Packers and Packagers, Hand: $41K vs $36K Median Pay

Machine Feeders and Offbearers vs Packers and Packagers, Hand: what changes?

Consider Machine Feeders and Offbearers if you want to feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers. Consider Packers and Packagers, Hand if you would rather pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials. Both list no formal educational credential; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Machine Feeders and Offbearers and Packers and Packagers, Hand. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Machine Feeders and Offbearers

National median pay (2025): $41,220
Route into the job: No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Inspect materials and products for defects, and to ensure conformance to specifications.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 4,000

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 13.1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Machine Feeders and Offbearers brief

Packers and Packagers, Hand

National median pay (2025): $36,280
Route into the job: No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Examine and inspect containers, materials, or products to ensure that product quality and packing specifications are met.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 61,800

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 5% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Packers and Packagers, Hand brief

How the national numbers differ

Packers and Packagers, Hand has the edge on annual openings

Packers and Packagers, Hand is at 61,800 annual openings, compared with 4,000 annual openings for Machine Feeders and Offbearers.

Packers and Packagers, Hand has the edge on projected growth

Packers and Packagers, Hand is at -5% projected growth, compared with -13.1% projected growth for Machine Feeders and Offbearers.

Machine Feeders and Offbearers has the edge on median pay

Machine Feeders and Offbearers is at $41,220, compared with $36,280 for Packers and Packagers, Hand.

31.2/ 100

Machine Feeders and Offbearers

44.1/ 100

Packers and Packagers, Hand

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Machine Feeders and Offbearers vs Packers and Packagers, Hand

Dimension	Machine Feeders and Offbearers	Packers and Packagers, Hand
Median pay (2025)	$41,220	$36,280
Pay percentile	12.4 percentile	5.4 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-13.1%	-5%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	4,000	61,800
2025 employment	41,800	555,500
How you qualify	No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Machine Feeders and Offbearers brief Read Packers and Packagers, Hand brief

Machine Feeders and Offbearers vs Packers and Packagers, Hand: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Machine Feeders and Offbearers

Packers and Packagers, Hand

How the national numbers differ

Packers and Packagers, Hand has the edge on annual openings

Packers and Packagers, Hand has the edge on projected growth

Machine Feeders and Offbearers has the edge on median pay

Machine Feeders and Offbearers vs Packers and Packagers, Hand

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