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Best states for a packaging operator
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to packaging operator jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Our research found that Wisconsin is the best state for packaging operators, while North Dakota and Kansas are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Wisconsin has a median salary of $40,172 and North Dakota has the highest median salary among all 50 states for packaging operators.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for packaging operators. Wisconsin is the best state for packaging operators, where the median salary is $40,172.If you are currently seeking employment as a packaging operator, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for packaging operators in 2026
1. Wisconsin
Total packaging operator jobs: 726 Average annual salary: $40,172 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.96
2. Minnesota
Total packaging operator jobs: 666 Average annual salary: $41,746 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
3. North Dakota
Total packaging operator jobs: 47 Average annual salary: $42,551 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
4. Ohio
Total packaging operator jobs: 1,108 Average annual salary: $37,022 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.62
5. Kansas
Total packaging operator jobs: 152 Average annual salary: $42,416 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
6. Indiana
Total packaging operator jobs: 770 Average annual salary: $36,744 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.75
7. Missouri
Total packaging operator jobs: 387 Average annual salary: $39,464 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
8. Illinois
Total packaging operator jobs: 912 Average annual salary: $38,714 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
9. Kentucky
Total packaging operator jobs: 307 Average annual salary: $37,273 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
10. Pennsylvania
Total packaging operator jobs: 1,059 Average annual salary: $36,287 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
Packaging operator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a packaging operator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a packaging operator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $40,172 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 726 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $41,746 | $33,000 | 5,576,606 | 666 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $42,551 | $34,000 | 755,393 | 47 |
| 4 | Ohio | $37,022 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,108 |
| 5 | Kansas | $42,416 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 152 |
| 6 | Indiana | $36,744 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 770 |
| 7 | Missouri | $39,464 | $30,000 | 6,113,532 | 387 |
| 8 | Illinois | $38,714 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 912 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $37,273 | $28,000 | 4,454,189 | 307 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $36,287 | $27,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,059 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $40,021 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 106 |
| 12 | South Dakota | $37,439 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 52 |
| 13 | Alaska | $38,342 | $34,000 | 739,795 | 95 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $35,990 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 158 |
| 15 | Nevada | $37,443 | $29,000 | 2,998,039 | 106 |
| 16 | Michigan | $36,542 | $28,000 | 9,962,311 | 432 |
| 17 | Idaho | $38,477 | $30,000 | 1,716,943 | 71 |
| 18 | Iowa | $35,910 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 305 |
| 19 | Utah | $35,655 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 267 |
| 20 | Maine | $35,538 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 91 |
| 21 | Oregon | $37,306 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 177 |
| 22 | Colorado | $37,912 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 188 |
| 23 | Washington | $37,840 | $30,000 | 7,405,743 | 228 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $34,429 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 171 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $34,107 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,237 |
| 26 | Montana | $36,544 | $29,000 | 1,050,493 | 17 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $34,141 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 930 |
| 28 | California | $36,484 | $28,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,451 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $35,166 | $27,000 | 3,588,184 | 178 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $33,548 | $25,000 | 2,984,100 | 146 |
| 31 | Arizona | $35,180 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 260 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $32,157 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 570 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $33,050 | $26,000 | 1,342,795 | 156 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $35,273 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 119 |
| 35 | Delaware | $35,418 | $26,000 | 961,939 | 45 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $32,501 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 312 |
| 37 | Vermont | $33,095 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 50 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $33,971 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 92 |
| 39 | Georgia | $31,793 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 892 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $32,184 | $24,000 | 3,004,279 | 127 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $30,921 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 832 |
| 42 | Texas | $32,450 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 937 |
| 43 | Maryland | $33,656 | $25,000 | 6,052,177 | 254 |
| 44 | New York | $32,696 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 571 |
| 45 | Virginia | $32,124 | $24,000 | 8,470,020 | 306 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $30,858 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 39 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $31,287 | $24,000 | 2,088,070 | 35 |
| 48 | Alabama | $27,871 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 208 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $29,864 | $23,000 | 4,684,333 | 109 |
| 50 | Florida | $27,975 | $21,000 | 20,984,400 | 670 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $23,206 | $18,000 | 579,315 | 10 |
Highest paying states for packaging operators
| Rank | State | Avg. Packaging Operator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $40,172 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $41,746 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $42,551 |
| 4 | Ohio | $37,022 |
| 5 | Kansas | $42,416 |
| 6 | Indiana | $36,744 |
| 7 | Missouri | $39,464 |
| 8 | Illinois | $38,714 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $37,273 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $36,287 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $40,021 |
| 12 | South Dakota | $37,439 |
| 13 | Alaska | $38,342 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $35,990 |
| 15 | Nevada | $37,443 |
| 16 | Michigan | $36,542 |
| 17 | Idaho | $38,477 |
| 18 | Iowa | $35,910 |
| 19 | Utah | $35,655 |
| 20 | Maine | $35,538 |
| 21 | Oregon | $37,306 |
| 22 | Colorado | $37,912 |
| 23 | Washington | $37,840 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $34,429 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $34,107 |
| 26 | Montana | $36,544 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $34,141 |
| 28 | California | $36,484 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $35,166 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $33,548 |
| 31 | Arizona | $35,180 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $32,157 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $33,050 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $35,273 |
| 35 | Delaware | $35,418 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $32,501 |
| 37 | Vermont | $33,095 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $33,971 |
| 39 | Georgia | $31,793 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $32,184 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $30,921 |
| 42 | Texas | $32,450 |
| 43 | Maryland | $33,656 |
| 44 | New York | $32,696 |
| 45 | Virginia | $32,124 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $30,858 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $31,287 |
| 48 | Alabama | $27,871 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $29,864 |
| 50 | Florida | $27,975 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $23,206 |
Packaging operator best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025