Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender Salary in Columbus, OH
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $45,600 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,348 take-home, or $3,196 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,292
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,827
- Medicare (1.45%)$661
- Ohio income tax$472
- Take-home pay$38,348
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $1,140 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $37,208 ($3,101 a month). Choose “Columbus” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
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 Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,360 | $17.00 | $30,402 | $2,533 |
| 25th percentile | $39,370 | $18.93 | $33,513 | $2,793 |
| Median (50th) | $45,600 | $21.92 | $38,348 | $3,196 |
| 75th percentile | $56,990 | $27.40 | $47,187 | $3,932 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,530 | $38.24 | $63,375 | $5,281 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $45,600 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median packaging and filling machine operator and tender's $38,348 take-home pay has the buying power of $40,168 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 about as common in Columbus, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.09).
Best-paying cities for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #5 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 |
*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 Ohio
- Cincinnati, OH — $45,570
Frequently asked questions
How much does a packaging and filling machine operator and tender make in Columbus, OH?
The median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $45,600 a year, or about $21.92 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $39,370 and $56,990.
What is a packaging and filling machine operator and tender’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $45,600 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $38,348 a year ($3,196 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $472 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a packaging and filling machine operator and tender?
Pay here is 6% above the national median of $43,220. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $40,168 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #5 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 Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median packaging and filling machine operator and tender’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.