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Packaging Pros Bullish on Security & Salary Despite Uncertainty

Packaging seems insulated from much of the economic fallout of COVID-19, though not everyone is fairing equally. Women, for instance, seem to be entering the industry, and soon should be matriculating into higher salaried positions left by retiring men.

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As is the case for the year 2020 in general, the results of the Annual Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) Salary Survey represent a departure from the norm. Data collection was accomplished on the cusp of when the global pandemic began roll out, from January 23 through April 8 of 2020, coloring respondent’s attitudes and opinions on the future. The oft heard descriptors of uncertain, unprecedented, or challenging times may have drifted into the realm of the cliché by now, but uncertainty unavoidably crept into the survey response set. Remarkably, responses remain optimistic without many big shifts from previous years. (more beneath rule).


FREE DOWNLOAD: Download the entire IoPP Salary Survey, or obtain a FREE executive summary, by visiting the Institute of Packaging Professionals websitePackaging World coverage here is on domestic responses, but the full report is an international effort. More than 1,000 packaging professionals participated in IoPP's 2020 Salary Survey, anonymously answering questions on their salaries, job security, age, education and more. Find out where you stand in the only salary survey dedicated exclusively to the packaging professional.


Coronavirus and job security were frequently mentioned in qualitative responses from all participants (12% and 9% of responses, respectively). However, 71% of domestic respondents still expect to earn a higher salary in 2020, with 91% of those respondents expecting to earn anywhere from 1% to 10% more.

Of course, we know this isn’t true of all businesses in the U.S. Shortly after data collection for this report, April unemployment had ballooned to nearly 15% across all industries. Even so, at the time of this writing in June, an unexpectedly positive jobs report indicated that 2.5 million jobs were actually added in May, pushing unemployment down to 13.3% from a (hopefully) high water mark of 14.7%. This is thought to be largely on the backs of healthcare, with elective or non-urgent medical procedures being phased back in, and professions like dentistry opening doors. 

Regardless, packaging professionals appear quite insulated from other industries’ troubles, and those reporting that they are somewhat or very secure in their jobs actually added a percentage point over last year’s report, from 75% to 76% reflected this year.

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