Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender Salary in Boston, MA
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $44,390 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,848 take-home, or $2,987 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,147
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,752
- Medicare (1.45%)$644
- Massachusetts income tax$2,000
- Take-home pay$35,848
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,490 | $16.10 | $27,635 | $2,303 |
| 25th percentile | $37,050 | $17.81 | $30,317 | $2,526 |
| Median (50th) | $44,390 | $21.34 | $35,848 | $2,987 |
| 75th percentile | $49,120 | $23.62 | $39,412 | $3,284 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $57,330 | $27.56 | $45,598 | $3,800 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $44,390 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median packaging and filling machine operator and tender's $35,848 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,111 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender jobs are less concentrated in Boston, MA than nationally (location quotient 0.51), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #19 of 28 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville, KY | $48,590 | $39,639 | $42,589 |
| 2 | Kansas City, MO | $47,530 | $39,074 | $42,222 |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO | $47,460 | $39,021 | $41,037 |
| 4 | Cincinnati, OH | $45,570 | $38,325 | $40,185 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $45,600 | $38,348 | $40,168 |
| 6 | Indianapolis, IN | $45,290 | $37,264 | $38,940 |
| 7 | Charlotte, NC | $44,330 | $36,539 | $37,535 |
| 8 | Grand Rapids, MI | $41,890 | $34,309 | $35,908 |
| 19 | Boston, MA | $44,390 | $35,848 | $33,111 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 28 metros →
About the job: packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +4.1% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a packaging and filling machine operator and tender make in Boston, MA?
The median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $44,390 a year, or about $21.34 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,050 and $49,120.
What is a packaging and filling machine operator and tender’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $44,390 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $35,848 a year ($2,987 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,000 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a packaging and filling machine operator and tender?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $43,220. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,111 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #19 of 28 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a packaging and filling machine operator and tender afford rent in Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 76% of a median packaging and filling machine operator and tender’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $82,660
- Machinist — $72,060
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $58,210
- Production Workers, All Other — $48,790
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $48,060
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $47,860
- Baker — $38,570
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker — $37,690
- Food Batchmaker — $37,010