Canning and Preserving Industry Workers

Although some products can be processed at any time during the year, the level of activity in many food-processing plants varies with the season, and earnings of workers vary accordingly. Larger plants overcome the seasonality of their food products by maintaining large inventories of raw foodstuffs, and workers for these plants generally work full time throughout the year. Earnings for workers in the canning and preserving industry vary widely. Many positions, especially at the entry level, pay little more than the minimum wage.

The following averages show the variety of earnings possible in this industry. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, those working as packaging and filling machine operators and tenders (the category that includes canning and food preserving workers) earned a median wage of $18.43 per hour in May 2023, or an annual income of $38,330. The lowest paid 10 percent of packaging and filling machine operators in 2023 earned less than $30,050 per year and the highest paid 10 percent earned $56,070 or more. Those in supervisory positions, such as production managers and supervisors, have higher median annual earnings. For example, according to SimplyHired.com, as of August 2024 the average cannery production supervisor earned $67,506.

Generally, seasonal workers earn an hourly wage; some, particularly those working on processing ships or for canneries in Alaska, also receive board and lodging. Benefits vary from company to company.