Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-6042

Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

Median pay sits 52% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, Gas Plant Operators, Tool and Die Makers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) , Gas Plant Operators ($88K) , Tool and Die Makers ($64K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-6042 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Inspect finished products to ensure that shoes have been completed according to specifications
  2. 2. Align parts to be stitched, following seams, edges, or markings, before positioning them under needles
  3. 3. Operate or tend machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts
  4. 4. Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels
  5. 5. Switch on machines, lower pressure feet or rollers to secure parts, and start machine stitching, using hand, foot, or knee controls
  6. 6. Fill shuttle spools with thread from a machine's bobbin winder by pressing a foot treadle
  7. 7. Staple sides of shoes, pressing a foot treadle to position and hold each shoe under the feeder of the machine
  8. 8. Draw thread through machine guide slots, needles, and presser feet in preparation for stitching, or load rolls of wire through machine axles
  9. 9. Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used
  10. 10. Perform routine equipment maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating machines or replacing broken needles
  11. 11. Position dies on material in a manner that will obtain the maximum number of parts from each portion of material
  12. 12. Test machinery to ensure proper functioning before beginning production

Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-6042 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.1 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  2. 2. Active Listening 3.0
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.0
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.0
  5. 5. Operations Monitoring 3.0
  6. 6. Operation and Control 3.0
  7. 7. Equipment Maintenance 2.9
  8. 8. Quality Control Analysis 2.9

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.3
  2. 2. Administration and Management 3.0
  3. 3. Education and Training 2.7
  4. 4. Customer and Personal Service 2.5
  5. 5. Personnel and Human Resources 2.4
  6. 6. Public Safety and Security 2.4
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-52%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $35,650/yr
$36K
National median
↓ -4%
Growth 2024-2034
400
Annual openings
3,280
Estimated US jobs
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Highest-pay peer · $107K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

1. Maine $39,850
2. Wisconsin $37,970
3. New York $48,420
4. Texas $26,560
5. California $47,730
6. Minnesota $37,600

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Gas Plant Operators $87,820
  2. 2. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  3. 3. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  4. 4. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  5. 5. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic $63,870
  6. 6. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders sits 52% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $35,650.

Employment Projections expect -4% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 400 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Maine at $39,850. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $106,730. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders pay-rank #103 in Production Occupations

On the Production Occupations median table (105 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders lands at #103, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders pays 52% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-6042

Maine · top state for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

$40K published median

Wisconsin · #2 state pay

$38K · behind Maine

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders · $107K

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Lower-pay peer beside Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders · $63K

Compare Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

Against another occupation

Power Distributors and Dispatchers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders land on the Production Occupations median table? ▼
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders is pay-rank #103 of 105 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials ($35K), Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers ($35K), Sewers, Hand ($36K), Sewing Machine Operators ($37K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do shoe machine operators and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders. Leading ones include: Inspect finished products to ensure that shoes have been completed according to specifications; Align parts to be stitched, following seams, edges, or markings, before positioning them under needles; Operate or tend machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts; Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for shoe machine operators and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-6042, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.1), Active Listening (3.0), Critical Thinking (3.0), Monitoring (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Education and Training. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $35,650 as the national median for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $26,560 to $47,700. Beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders is -4%. Projected annual openings: about 400. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
Maine ($39,850), Wisconsin ($37,970), New York ($48,420) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-6042. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics