Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender Salary in St. Louis, MO
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $47,460 a year — 10% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $39,021 take-home, or $3,252 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,515
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,943
- Medicare (1.45%)$688
- Missouri income tax$1,293
- Take-home pay$39,021
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $475 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $38,546 ($3,212 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. 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 St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,730 | $16.70 | $29,391 | $2,449 |
| 25th percentile | $38,120 | $18.33 | $31,955 | $2,663 |
| Median (50th) | $47,460 | $22.82 | $39,021 | $3,252 |
| 75th percentile | $54,590 | $26.25 | $44,415 | $3,701 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $67,190 | $32.30 | $53,878 | $4,490 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $47,460 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median packaging and filling machine operator and tender's $39,021 take-home pay has the buying power of $41,037 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
St. Louis, MO has 1.5× the national concentration of packaging and filling machine operator and tender jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #3 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 Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $47,530
Frequently asked questions
How much does a packaging and filling machine operator and tender make in St. Louis, MO?
The median packaging and filling machine operator and tender salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $47,460 a year, or about $22.82 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,120 and $54,590.
What is a packaging and filling machine operator and tender’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $47,460 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $39,021 a year ($3,252 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,293 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a packaging and filling machine operator and tender?
Pay here is 10% above the national median of $43,220. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $41,037 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #3 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 St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 30% 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 St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $75,210
- Machinist — $62,210
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $62,090
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $51,790
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $51,640
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $46,570
- Production Workers, All Other — $40,900