Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender Salary in Detroit, MI
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $39,300 a year — 9% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $32,338 take-home, or $2,695 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,536
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,437
- Medicare (1.45%)$570
- Michigan income tax$1,420
- Take-home pay$32,338
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $943 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $31,395 ($2,616 a month). Choose “Detroit” 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 Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,580 | $16.63 | $28,746 | $2,396 |
| 25th percentile | $37,590 | $18.07 | $31,037 | $2,586 |
| Median (50th) | $39,300 | $18.89 | $32,338 | $2,695 |
| 75th percentile | $45,930 | $22.08 | $37,383 | $3,115 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $51,480 | $24.75 | $41,607 | $3,467 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $39,300 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median packaging and filling machine operator and tender's $32,338 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,242 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 Detroit, MI than nationally (location quotient 0.58), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #23 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 |
| 23 | Detroit, MI | $39,300 | $32,338 | $32,242 |
*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 Michigan
- Grand Rapids, MI — $41,890
Frequently asked questions
How much does a packaging and filling machine operator and tender make in Detroit, MI?
The median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $39,300 a year, or about $18.89 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,590 and $45,930.
What is a packaging and filling machine operator and tender’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $39,300 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $32,338 a year ($2,695 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,420 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a packaging and filling machine operator and tender?
Pay here is 9% below the national median of $43,220. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,242 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #23 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 Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 42% 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 Detroit, MI
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- Engine and Other Machine Assembler — $64,820
- Machinist — $59,310
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- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $51,210
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- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $49,240
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $46,880
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