Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender Salary in San Diego, CA
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $40,000 a year — 7% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $33,211 take-home, or $2,768 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,620
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,480
- Medicare (1.45%)$580
- California income tax$589
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$520
- Take-home pay$33,211
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
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 San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,060 | $17.34 | $30,254 | $2,521 |
| 25th percentile | $36,960 | $17.77 | $30,929 | $2,577 |
| Median (50th) | $40,000 | $19.23 | $33,211 | $2,768 |
| 75th percentile | $47,080 | $22.63 | $38,522 | $3,210 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $57,240 | $27.52 | $45,944 | $3,829 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $40,000 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median packaging and filling machine operator and tender's $33,211 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,682 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 San Diego, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.67), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #26 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 |
| 26 | San Diego, CA | $40,000 | $33,211 | $29,682 |
*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.
Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender salaries elsewhere in California
- Riverside, CA — $43,780
- San Francisco, CA — $46,310
- Los Angeles, CA — $43,470
- Fresno, CA — $38,440
Frequently asked questions
How much does a packaging and filling machine operator and tender make in San Diego, CA?
The median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $40,000 a year, or about $19.23 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,960 and $47,080.
What is a packaging and filling machine operator and tender’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $40,000 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $33,211 a year ($2,768 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,109 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a packaging and filling machine operator and tender?
Pay here is 7% below the national median of $43,220. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,682 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #26 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 San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 89% 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 San Diego, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $79,350
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $62,560
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $59,550
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $47,850
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $47,350
- Production Workers, All Other — $44,730
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker — $38,910