In a manufacturing or packaging operation, a pack-out operator is the one responsible for the final packing of products before shipment. Their main goal is to ensure that all packages adhere to the company standards, as well as legal regulations before they are shipped out to customers.

The duties of a pack-out operator include checking package labels, verifying weights, inspecting packages to ensure they meet packaging standards and palletizing. If they spot a package that doesn't meet the standards, the pack-out operator is responsible for pulling it out and returning it to the packaging operation for correction.

The minimum requirement for the role of a pack-out operator is a high school diploma, GED, or anything equivalent. Experience, on the other hand, is always an advantage but not always required since employers typically provide training on the job. But if you have prior experience working in a packaging or manufacturing operation, your chances of getting hired are higher.

What Does a Pack Out Operator Do

There are certain skills that many pack out operators have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, coordination and mechanical skills.

Learn more about what a Pack Out Operator does

How To Become a Pack Out Operator

If you're interested in becoming a pack out operator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 15.2% of pack out operators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 0.7% of pack out operators have master's degrees. Even though some pack out operators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Pack Out Operator

Pack Out Operator Career Paths

Average Salary for a Pack Out Operator

Pack Out Operators in America make an average salary of $33,217 per year or $16 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $42,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $25,000 per year.
Average Pack Out Operator Salary
$33,217 Yearly
$15.97 hourly

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Roles and Types of Pack Out Operator

The role of a pack out operator includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general pack out operator responsibilities:

  • Pack product on every line either alone or with a partner depending on line or product maintain packing table in efficient manner, keep product caught up keep work area clean
  • Inspects related product throughout the shift
  • Other responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to: complies with all local, state, federal

There are several types of pack out operator, including:

Machine Operator

Role:

Someone has to operate the machine - why not you? Machine operators are able to transfer a variety of objects through the use of machinery. So if driving a forklift around sounds like your idea of fun, then maybe this is the job for you.

Some machine operators need training in order to operate certain machinery such as cranes and excavators. The hours you work as a machine operator can vary, but often include overtime, night shifts, and weekend shifts.

As a machine operator, you have lots of industries you could go into, from warehousing and storage to food manufacturing and construction. The list goes on and on. Depending on the industry, your work can take you outside or you may get to work inside.
  • Average Salary: $32,874
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Forklift Operator

Role:

As a forklift operator, the majority of your time will be spent riding around on a forklift. You'll use it to move objects around so, unfortunately, there will be no time for any funny business. In fact, you'll probably need to follow some safety rules to ensure no one gets hurt.

There really aren't any formal education requirements, but you will probably need to be trained on how to operate the machine. Since products and materials are shipped at all times, you may need to stay late or even work an overnight shift from time to time.

And you better believe you'll get some overtime hours from being a forklift operator, which will be a nice little surprise when it's payday. Plus, did we mention you get to drive a forklift around. Sure, you have to be careful moving objects and trying to avoid running over your co-workers but, hey, at least you get to drive a forklift.

  • Average Salary: $34,213
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Operator

Role:

As an operator, it's your job to know how specific equipment or machines work. You should know how to install and repair certain machinery as well as knowing how to use tools to help with the manufacturing process.

Operators often spend their time checking in on equipment and making sure it's properly working. Every problem that is detected, you'll often call upon an operators to come and save the day. They're essentially the superhero in an office setting.

In most cases, operators work full-time, normal hours. But when a client needs help, you'll need to be available. which means that sometimes duty calls at night or on the weekends.
  • Average Salary: $37,928
  • Degree: High School Diploma

States With The Most Pack Out Operator Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active pack out operator jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where pack out operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Pack Out Operator Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1Massachusetts1,301$34,365
2Pennsylvania1,299$34,111
3Ohio1,255$34,360
4Texas1,025$26,781
5Georgia989$30,686
6New Jersey983$31,769
7Indiana896$30,903
8North Carolina836$30,216
9Wisconsin808$42,058
10Tennessee665$30,371
11New York552$31,508
12Michigan537$33,753
13Missouri484$34,878
14Iowa409$36,953
15Kentucky390$31,590
16Virginia325$31,470
17South Carolina316$30,106
18Utah295$31,837
19Washington285$32,780
20Arizona273$31,558
21Maryland261$33,281
22Nebraska248$31,329
23Oregon243$36,103
24Alabama237$25,347
25Colorado223$29,654
26Kansas214$37,928
27Rhode Island171$34,542
28New Hampshire159$31,759
29Maine138$34,564
30Louisiana130$27,328
31Arkansas129$28,972
32Oklahoma121$26,734
33Nevada115$32,815
34Hawaii99$40,654
35Alaska98$35,001
36Idaho82$35,835
37Vermont80$31,572
38South Dakota56$33,774
39North Dakota49$41,741
40New Mexico48$28,904
41West Virginia34$28,150
42Wyoming18$21,366
43Montana15$33,483
44Minnesota0$36,105
45Illinois0$33,737
46Delaware0$33,331
47Connecticut0$33,505
48California0$33,001
49Florida0$31,409
50Mississippi0$30,412

Pack Out Operator Education

Pack Out Operator Majors

25.6 %

Pack Out Operator Degrees

High School Diploma

49.7 %

Associate

16.2 %

Bachelors

15.2 %

Top Skills For a Pack Out Operator

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 11.9% of pack out operators listed pallets on their resume, but soft skills such as communication skills and coordination are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Pack Out Operator Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Pack Out Operator templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Pack Out Operator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Pack Out Operator Demographics

Pack Out Operator Gender Distribution

Male
Male
57%
Female
Female
44%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among pack out operators, 43.5% of them are women, while 56.5% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among pack out operators is White, which makes up 57.9% of all pack out operators.

  • The most common foreign language among pack out operators is Spanish at 89.1%.

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Best States For a Pack Out Operator

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a pack out operator. The best states for people in this position are Wisconsin, North Dakota, Hawaii, and Kansas. Pack out operators make the most in Wisconsin with an average salary of $42,058. Whereas in North Dakota and Hawaii, they would average $41,741 and $40,654, respectively. While pack out operators would only make an average of $37,928 in Kansas, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Wisconsin

Total Pack Out Operator Jobs: 808
Highest 10% Earn:
$53,000
Location Quotient:
2.47

2. Iowa

Total Pack Out Operator Jobs: 409
Highest 10% Earn:
$47,000
Location Quotient:
1.91

3. North Dakota

Total Pack Out Operator Jobs: 49
Highest 10% Earn:
$50,000
Location Quotient:
0.89
Full List Of Best States For Pack Out Operators

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Top Pack Out Operator Employers

Most Common Employers For Pack Out Operator

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Land O'Lakes$41,563$19.9824
2Cargill$39,165$18.8313
3Merck$38,898$18.7015
4General Mills$37,397$17.9810
5US Foods$35,829$17.2310
6Amazon$34,681$16.6759
7Frito-Lay$34,445$16.5614
8P&G$34,438$16.5613
9Levi Strauss & Co.$33,949$16.3224
10Pactiv$32,873$15.8031

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