51 Series · SOC 51-6061
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $38,180
- Median / year
- $48,100
- Top 10% earn
- -10.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 5,310
- US workers
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders earn a median of $38,180 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $38,180, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $30,300 (10th percentile) to $48,100 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 5,310 US workers. Rhode Island pays the most ($45,930), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders earn a median of $38,180, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 9% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #96 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 10.1% by 2033.
- $38,180
- Median annual wage
- Top 91%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #96 of 105
- in Production
- 1.6×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Rhode Island at $45,930. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders (SOC 51-6061) pays a national median of $38,180 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $30,300 at the 10th percentile to $48,100 at the 90th, with a mean of $40,380 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 5,310 Americans work in this occupation across 14 reporting states and 18 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -10.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Rhode Island pays the highest state median at $45,930, which is +20% above the national figure. The top metro is Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area at $46,820 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$38,180
per year
Median Hourly
$18.36/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$40,380
average
Employment
5,310
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$38,180 Bottom 9% higher than 9% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at -10.1% growth and $38,180 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-10.1%
Declining
Annual Openings
700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Weigh ingredients, such as dye, to be mixed together for use in textile processing.
- ▸ Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.
- ▸ Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
- ▸ Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
- ▸ Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.
- ▸ Sew ends of cloth together, by hand or using machines, to form endless lengths of cloth to facilitate processing.
- ▸ Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
- ▸ Ravel seams that connect cloth ends when processing is completed.
- ▸ Remove dyed articles from tanks and machines for drying and further processing.
- ▸ Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$30,300
25th Percentile
$35,680
Median
$38,180
75th Percentile
$45,280
90th Percentile
$48,100
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 14 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $45,930 | +20% above national |
| 2 | Michigan | $44,720 | +17% above national |
| 3 | Mississippi | $43,640 | +14% above national |
| 4 | Georgia | $41,960 | +10% above national |
| 5 | South Carolina | $39,410 | +3% above national |
| 6 | New York | $39,030 | +2% above national |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $38,420 | +1% above national |
| 8 | North Carolina | $37,610 | 1% below national |
| 9 | Tennessee | $37,410 | 2% below national |
| 10 | California | $36,670 | 4% below national |
| 11 | New Jersey | $36,570 | 4% below national |
| 12 | Alabama | $33,190 | 13% below national |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $30,930 | 19% below national |
| 14 | Florida | $29,850 | 22% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 18 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $46,820 | +23% above national |
| 2 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $46,210 | +21% above national |
| 3 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $45,930 | +20% above national |
| 4 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $45,680 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Spartanburg, SC | $45,290 | +19% above national |
| 6 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $45,100 | +18% above national |
| 7 | Dalton, GA | $44,940 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $39,600 | +4% above national |
| 9 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $39,030 | +2% above national |
| 10 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $38,990 | +2% above national |
| 11 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $38,640 | +1% above national |
| 12 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $37,960 | 1% below national |
| 13 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $37,810 | 1% below national |
| 14 | Winston-Salem, NC | $37,010 | 3% below national |
| 15 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $36,670 | 4% below national |
| 16 | Burlington, NC | $35,400 | 7% below national |
| 17 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $34,420 | 10% below national |
| 18 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $33,190 | 13% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders make? ▼
What state pays Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
How dangerous is being a Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
Is Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders a good career? ▼
How does Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $45,280/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Rhode Island leads at $45,930/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.