What Do Packaging Engineers Make? A Look at Salary Trends by Experience

Salary is one of the most talked-about, and often most mysterious, parts of any job search. That’s why one of the most important questions in our 2025 Packaging Engineer Survey was simple: How much are packaging engineers actually earning?

Thanks to hundreds of responses, we now have a clearer picture of how pay varies across experience levels, industries, and career stages.

The Big Picture: Salary by Experience

Here’s what the averages told us:

1–3 years: $74,080, 3–5 years: $98,063, 5–8 years: $115,100, 8–15 years: $129,949, 15+ years: $163,515

The growth curve is steep—especially in the first 5 years. And it doesn’t flatten out until well into the double digits. Packaging engineers are clearly being rewarded for staying in the field, and companies are competing hard for mid-career and senior talent.

Not Just About Tenure

One thing we noticed: salary doesn’t just correlate with years of experience; it also reflects where you work and what you specialize in.

Engineers working in high-regulation industries like pharma and medical device often earn more at the same experience level than those in less regulated spaces. Likewise, specialists with expertise in things like flexible films, sustainability, or automation tend to command higher pay, even early in their careers.

Cost of Living & Compensation

We also asked where engineers were located, and that added another layer to the story. Engineers in areas with a high cost of living weren’t always earning dramatically more, but they were more likely to push back on offers that didn’t reflect their local reality. This tells us that negotiation and awareness are critical tools for new hires, especially in remote or hybrid roles.

What This Means for You

If you're an engineer, knowing your worth is more than just looking up a salary range. It’s about understanding where you are on the curve and what variables play into it. Use these numbers as a benchmark, not a ceiling.

If you're a hiring manager, remember that good engineers are comparing more than just base pay. They’re looking at benefits, flexibility, long-term growth, and whether the offer reflects their true market value.

Next time we’ll dive into what career progression actually looks like, what titles engineers hold, how they change over time, and what it takes to move up, so stay tuned!

— The PackStaff Team