Packing associate vs food packer

The differences between packing associates and food packers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a packing associate has an average salary of $32,140, which is higher than the $28,254 average annual salary of a food packer.

The top three skills for a packing associate include pallets, defective products and safety regulations. The most important skills for a food packer are pallets, GMP, and customer orders.

Packing associate vs food packer overview

	Packing Associate	Food Packer
Yearly salary	$32,140	$28,254
Hourly rate	$15.45	$13.58
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	14,718	64,278
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	-	-

Packing associate vs food packer salary

Packing associates and food packers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Packing Associate	Food Packer
Average salary	$32,140	$28,254
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $41,000	Between $22,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	Richmond, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	Blue Apron	Ajinomoto
Best paying industry	Transportation	Manufacturing

Differences between packing associate and food packer education

There are a few differences between a packing associate and a food packer in terms of educational background:

	Packing Associate	Food Packer
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Packing associate vs food packer demographics

Here are the differences between packing associates' and food packers' demographics:

	Packing Associate	Food Packer
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 46.9% Female, 53.1%	Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 8.0% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 7.9% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between packing associate and food packer duties and responsibilities

Packing associate example responsibilities.

Utilize manual RF equipment to properly scan, organize, troubleshoot and clear merchandise to be pack and ship.
Match labels to map set and BOM.
Pack products while adhering to strict GMP procedures.
Ensure all components are attached as per BOM.
Execute and document QA of products being package for inventory
Arrange and pack all necessary pieces into boxes as specified QA.

Food packer example responsibilities.

Accept orders at drive-thru station.
Participate in packaging, assembling and labeling boxes, and placing them on pallets.
Forecast manpower requirements base on daily workload and company targets.
Attach burners on the top castings with clips.

Packing associate vs food packer skills

Common packing associate skills

Pallets, 13%
Defective Products, 12%
Safety Regulations, 10%
Basic Math, 9%
Pallet Jack, 9%
Quality Standards, 7%

Common food packer skills

Pallets, 23%
GMP, 15%
Customer Orders, 14%
Food Products, 10%
Food Packages, 9%
Assembly Line, 8%