Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders work in a specialized production role focused on processing textiles. National employment is relatively small at about 6,000 workers, so this is a niche occupation within manufacturing. The typical entry point is accessible, requiring a high school diploma or equivalent, which can make this path realistic for people who want to enter the workforce without a college degree. Workers use a blend of fine motor ability, mechanical aptitude, physical stamina, and attention to detail, supported by skills in mathematics, science, problem solving, and basic computing. While national employment is projected to decline by 10.1%, there are still about 1,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing turnover and replacement needs. For individuals who are comfortable in production environments and interested in hands-on, process-oriented work, this role can offer a stable skills base and potential pathways to related machine operation and production careers, including other machine operator roles listed among the similar occupations.
Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders earn a national median annual salary of $37,320. Pay varies by location. Among states with the highest CareerGPS opportunity scores, median salaries range from $36,570 in New Jersey to $45,930 in Rhode Island. Pennsylvania and New York also offer higher medians of $38,420 and $39,030, respectively, while California’s median is $36,670. At the metro level, salaries similarly vary: medians span from $36,670 in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area to $45,680 around Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington and $45,100 in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell area. These figures show that location meaningfully affects earnings, with some metros and states offering a noticeable pay premium over the national median. Individuals considering this career can weigh the national salary benchmark against local wages in their target regions to evaluate earning potential.
Nationally, textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders face a projected employment decline of 10.1%. With current employment at about 6,000 workers, this indicates that the occupation is expected to contract over time. However, there are still about 1,000 annual openings. This combination of declining overall employment with continued openings suggests that many opportunities are likely tied to replacement needs as workers leave the occupation or retire. Because the projected growth rate is negative in the national data and consistently shown as -10.1% across the highlighted states and metro areas, individuals entering this field should plan with a clear understanding that long-term employment levels are expected to shrink. For some people, this role may still serve as a way to gain production experience and then move into other related occupations such as other machine operators, helpers–production workers, or machine feeders and offbearers.
Location has a clear impact on opportunity for textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders. Among states, California holds the highest CareerGPS opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $36,670 and employment of 880. New York follows with an opportunity score of 65.78 and a higher median salary of $39,030, though with fewer workers (120). Rhode Island stands out for pay, with the highest listed state median salary of $45,930 and employment of 210, but a lower opportunity score of 43.72. New Jersey and Pennsylvania fall in the mid-range for both scores and salaries. At the metro level, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area has the top opportunity score of 77.27, with a median salary of $39,030 and employment of 170. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has the largest listed employment at 760 and a strong score of 62.99. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell offer some of the highest metro median salaries, above $45,000, providing options for those prioritizing wages in specific regions.
The typical education requirement for textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the occupation accessible to individuals who want to begin working without pursuing postsecondary education. Success in this role, however, depends heavily on a set of practical skills. Fine motor ability, mechanical skills, and physical strength and stamina are important for handling equipment and performing physically demanding tasks. Being detail oriented supports accuracy and consistency, while mathematics and science skills help with understanding measurements, processes, or technical information. Problem solving and decision making, along with writing and reading, enable workers to follow instructions, document information, and respond to issues that arise. Project management skills can help with organizing tasks and time, and computers and information technology skills are relevant where digital systems or controls are used. Together, these skills create a well-rounded profile for building and advancing a career in production environments.
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