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The differences between packaging associates and pack out operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pack out operator has an average salary of $33,217, which is higher than the $31,519 average annual salary of a packaging associate.
The top three skills for a packaging associate include pallets, defective products and basic math. The most important skills for a pack out operator are pallets, safety procedures, and quality standards.
| Packaging Associate | Pack Out Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $31,519 | $33,217 |
| Hourly rate | $15.15 | $15.97 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 40,179 | 73,108 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Packaging associates are skilled employees who are responsible for wrapping material around consumer items. This serves to protect and clean products, making them marketable. These associates must perform maintenance on the packaging equipment to ensure that they are running efficiently with minimal downtime. They must inspect completed products for defects and abnormalities to satisfy their customers. Packaging associates must also communicate with technicians and supervisors to rectify problems and ensure that the products are with standards and following their customers' requirements.
A pack out operator is a manufacturing or packaging operation employee responsible for the final packaging of goods prior to shipping. Pack out operators come in at the last stage of the manufacturing process to ensure readiness. You will primarily work with machines and ensure that the right packaging standards and procedures are adhered to. The pack out operator oversees package labeling, branding, weighing, inspection and verification, and palletizing.
Packaging associates and pack out operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Packaging Associate | Pack Out Operator | |
| Average salary | $31,519 | $33,217 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Milwaukee, WI |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Wisconsin |
| Best paying company | PepsiCo | Dairy Farmers of America |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a packaging associate and a pack out operator in terms of educational background:
| Packaging Associate | Pack Out Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between packaging associates' and pack out operators' demographics:
| Packaging Associate | Pack Out Operator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 6.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |