SOC 51-9111 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders — Buffalo
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage here is $41,900 a year, within a few percent of the national median of $43,220.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.5%
- Openings per year
- 45,300
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
The median wage here is $41,900 a year, within a few percent of the national median of $43,220. Half of workers earn between $35,640 and $49,110. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $32,240 and the ninetieth at $60,880.
The area has 1,920 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 3.6 of every thousand jobs. Albany leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $47,950. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 495th of 586 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,240 | −25.4% |
| 25th | $35,640 | −17.5% |
| Median (50th) | $41,900 | −3.1% |
| 75th | $49,110 | +13.6% |
| 90th | $60,880 | +40.9% |
| Mean | $43,930 | +1.6% |
Other metro areas in New York
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany | $47,950 | 680 | |
| 2 | Elmira | $45,590 | 100 | |
| 3 | Syracuse | $44,080 | 540 | |
| 4 | Binghamton | $43,850 | 180 | |
| 5 | Rochester | $43,780 | 1,780 | |
| 6 | Kiryas Joel | $40,510 | 360 | |
| 7 | New York | $38,790 | 16,110 | |
| 8 | Utica | $38,550 | 260 | |
| 9 | Kingston | $38,330 | 80 | |
| 10 | Ithaca | $37,520 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Buffalo run 4.2% below the national average, so the median of $41,900 goes as far as $43,737 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 1.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$41,900as reported by BLSLocal price level
95.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$43,737US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $41,900 a year, 3.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $32,240 to $60,880 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,920 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Albany, at $47,950.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders in Buffalo, NY?
The median annual wage is $41,900, or $20.14 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $43,220, so pay in Buffalo, NY is 3.1% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Buffalo, NY earns more than $60,880 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $32,240 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Albany, at $47,950 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,920 jobs in this occupation in Buffalo, NY. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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