Salary guide, May 2025
Packaging Engineer pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL was $100,290 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $85,340 and $127,330.
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL median is $3,820 below the national median of $104,110, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $68,290 | $85,340 | $100,290 | $127,330 | $159,050 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32.83 | $41.03 | $48.22 | $61.22 | $76.47 |
BLS estimated 1,220 workers employed in this occupation in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Location quotient: 0.44.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $73,990 | $84,130 | $104,110 | $132,590 | $164,340 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.57 | $40.45 | $50.05 | $63.75 | $79.01 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Packaging Engineer median is $100,290. The all-occupations median in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $48,940. Ratio: 2.05 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.44 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $78,700 | $93,610 | $122,530 |
| May 2025 | $85,340 | $100,290 | $127,330 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $89,720 | $68,000 to $122,940 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $100,640 | $79,150 to $127,590 |
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters reviews the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, area for Packaging Engineer roles. This profession is tracked using the broader Mechanical Engineers occupational category, which reports a local median salary of $100,290. The area features a middle band width of $41,990, indicating a clear range of salary expectations for mid-level and senior roles in the regional market.
The current median shows a $6,680 increase compared to the $93,610 median in May 2024. Tampa’s current median falls slightly below the national occupational median of $104,110. National industry-specific medians for Petroleum and Coal Products at $140,600 and Audio and Video Equipment at $125,380 serve as broad sector benchmarks, not local salary targets. These national industry rows illustrate potential earnings in high-complexity sectors but are never specific to the Tampa metro.
Regional comparison metros show different profiles: Lakeland-Winter Haven records a median of $89,720, while North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota reports $100,640. Tampa’s median occupies a middle ground among these points. These BLS figures cover base annual salary only. Performance-based incentives, signing bonuses, and equity are excluded from this data. Recruiters should supplement these base figures with their internal bonus structure to understand total market positioning, as base salary is only a portion of the complete competitive package.
Packaging engineering responsibilities are technically rigorous. Common tasks include developing primary and secondary packaging specifications, managing line equipment such as fillers, cartoners, case packers, and palletizers, working with diverse materials like corrugated and rigid films, and completing mandatory ISTA testing. While the SOC occupational code covers all mechanical engineers, these specific tasks define the value of a packaging engineer. The area's location quotient of 0.44 denotes a lower concentration of these roles compared to the national average. This does not mean candidate supply is tight, rather it describes the regional job density.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How should I interpret the $41,990 middle band width?
The middle band width shows the base salary spread for the middle 50% of the local talent pool. You can use this to set your pay grade for standard packaging engineering roles.
Does the lower location quotient mean hiring is easier?
No, the location quotient measures industry employment density. It confirms that the packaging engineering role is a smaller segment of the overall mechanical engineering workforce in Tampa.
Are the $140,600 figures local to Florida?
No, those industry medians are national statistics. They represent national averages for petroleum manufacturing sectors and are used for sector-wide benchmarking purposes only.
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