Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Production · SOC 51-6062 · O*NET 51-6062.00
Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut textiles.
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders fall under the Production category in the U.S. occupational classification. Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median salary of $37,940 per year, ranking in the top 90% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -11.7% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders earn?
The median annual wage for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders is $37,940. That puts textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders at #725 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $27,230 |
| 25th percentile | $32,380 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $37,940 |
| 75th percentile | $43,710 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,080 |
| Median hourly wage | $18.24/hr |
Is textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders is -11.7%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 9K positions in 2024 to 8K in 2034, a net change of -1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Place patterns on top of layers of fabric and cut fabric following patterns, using electric or manual knives, cutters, or computer numerically controlled cutting devices.
- 2.Confer with coworkers to obtain information about orders, processes, or problems.
- 3.Inspect products to ensure that the quality standards and specifications are met.
- 4.Start machines, monitor operations, and make adjustments as needed.
- 5.Record information about work completed and machine settings.
- 6.Inspect machinery to determine whether repairs are needed.
- 7.Clean, oil, and lubricate machines, using air hoses, cleaning solutions, rags, oilcans, and grease guns.
- 8.Adjust machine controls, such as heating mechanisms, tensions, or speeds, to produce specified products.
Top skills for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tender?
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
What is the median salary for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders?
The median annual salary for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders is $37,940 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders a growing career?
BLS projects -11.7% growth for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.
What education does my child need to become textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tender?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Related occupations within the Production category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.