Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in the U.S.
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the U.S. earn a median of $38,760 a year ($18.64 an hour), based on BLS data for 9,000 workers.
Pay ranges from $28,650 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,420 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $39,530, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,650 | $13.78 |
| 25th percentile | $34,230 | $16.46 |
| Median | $38,760 | $18.64 |
| 75th percentile | $45,220 | $21.74 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,420 | $23.76 |
| Average (mean) | $39,530 | $19.01 |
Half of textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,230 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,615 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,490.77 |
| Weekly | $745.38 |
| Hourly | $18.64 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $47,160 | 50 |
| New York | $46,810 | 170 |
| New Hampshire | $45,930 | 80 |
| Hawaii | $45,760 | n/a |
| Washington | $45,380 | 140 |
| Massachusetts | $43,680 | 380 |
| North Carolina | $43,460 | 840 |
| Indiana | $41,740 | 70 |
| South Carolina | $41,740 | 480 |
| Ohio | $41,600 | 370 |
| Minnesota | $41,480 | 100 |
| New Jersey | $40,780 | 120 |
| Rhode Island | $40,000 | 30 |
| Georgia | $39,840 | 1,560 |
| Wisconsin | $39,630 | 130 |
| California | $38,870 | 750 |
| Illinois | $38,600 | 230 |
| Oregon | $38,460 | 90 |
| Mississippi | $37,600 | 400 |
| Louisiana | $37,490 | n/a |
| Arizona | $37,460 | 100 |
| Michigan | $37,280 | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $37,110 | 50 |
| Colorado | $36,870 | 30 |
| Tennessee | $36,710 | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,690 | 230 |
| Kansas | $35,930 | 40 |
| Florida | $35,680 | 450 |
| Alabama | $35,000 | 160 |
| Maryland | $34,890 | 50 |
| Virginia | $34,410 | 50 |
| Kentucky | $31,040 | 50 |
| Missouri | $30,540 | 170 |
| Texas | $30,160 | 680 |
| Iowa | $30,060 | 70 |
| Arkansas | $29,140 | 40 |
| Nevada | $28,630 | 70 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,880 | 100 |
Best-paying metro areas for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $49,390 | 230 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $48,640 | 270 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $45,220 | 560 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $44,420 | 170 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,350 | 100 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $43,750 | 30 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $43,680 | 270 |
| Columbus, OH | $43,680 | n/a |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $43,300 | n/a |
| Cleveland, OH | $42,100 | 70 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $41,470 | 40 |
| Knoxville, TN | $40,130 | 50 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $39,630 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $39,140 | n/a |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $38,940 | 150 |
Metro areas with the most textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Dalton, GA | 570 | $37,820 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 560 | $45,220 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 560 | $37,860 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 270 | $43,680 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 270 | $48,640 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 240 | $35,390 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 230 | $49,390 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 200 | $38,600 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 190 | $34,650 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 170 | $44,420 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 150 | $38,940 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 150 | $33,630 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 130 | $38,520 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 100 | $38,110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 100 | $44,350 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $34,890 | $16.78 |
| Sewing Machine Operator | $36,670 | $17.63 |
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $35,060 | $16.85 |
| Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,670 | $18.59 |
| Upholsterer | $46,340 | $22.28 |
| Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $41,640 | $20.02 |
| Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other | $37,280 | $17.93 |
| Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $39,530 | $19.01 |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | $46,350 | $22.29 |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $37,800 | $18.17 |
| Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $38,180 | $18.36 |
| Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | $35,650 | $17.14 |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $62,750 | $30.17 |
| Sewers, Hand | $36,480 | $17.54 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-6062. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders make in the U.S.?
The median salary for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S. is $38,760 a year, or $18.64 an hour. Pay ranges from $28,650 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,420 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S. earn at least $49,420 a year. The top 25% earn $45,220 or more.
What is the starting pay for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $28,650 a year, and a quarter of textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $34,230 or less.
How many textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders work in the U.S.?
About 9,000 textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.