Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $44,340 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $36,446 take-home, or $3,037 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,141
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,749
- Medicare (1.45%)$643
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,361
- Take-home pay$36,446
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,658 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $34,788 ($2,899 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. 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 Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $32,220 | $15.49 | $27,080 | $2,257 |
| 25th percentile | $37,090 | $17.83 | $30,843 | $2,570 |
| Median (50th) | $44,340 | $21.32 | $36,446 | $3,037 |
| 75th percentile | $48,580 | $23.36 | $39,723 | $3,310 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,960 | $29.31 | $49,290 | $4,107 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $44,340 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median packaging and filling machine operator and tender's $36,446 take-home pay has the buying power of $35,538 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 Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.82).
Best-paying cities for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #9 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 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $44,340 | $36,446 | $35,538 |
*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 Philadelphia, PA?
The median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $44,340 a year, or about $21.32 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,090 and $48,580.
What is a packaging and filling machine operator and tender’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $44,340 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $36,446 a year ($3,037 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,361 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA 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 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $35,538 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #9 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 Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 50% 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 Philadelphia, PA
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $79,520
- Machinist — $61,280
- Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender — $60,410
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $58,380
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $51,990
- Printing Press Operator — $48,610
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $47,570
- Production Workers, All Other — $42,760
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $42,240
- Baker — $37,770
- Food Batchmaker — $37,010
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker — $34,730