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
Moderate-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 cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders work in a specialized production role with a national median annual salary of $37,940 and national employment of 9,000. The field has a projected employment decline of -11.7%, yet there are still an estimated 1,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing turnover and replacement needs. Opportunities are not evenly distributed, with certain states and metro areas showing stronger combinations of salary, employment levels, and opportunity scores. States such as California, Massachusetts, and New York, as well as metro areas like New York-Newark-Jersey City and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, stand out. The work draws on a mix of mechanical ability, physical strength and stamina, attention to detail, and fine motor skills, supported by problem-solving, math, and basic technology skills. For individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent who want to apply hands-on, detail-oriented strengths in a production setting, this occupation offers defined pathways in select regions despite overall declining employment projections.
The national median annual salary for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders is $37,940. Pay varies across states and metro areas. Among the top states by opportunity score, median salaries range from $36,870 in Colorado to $46,810 in New York. Massachusetts and Washington also offer relatively higher state-level medians of $43,680 and $45,380, respectively, while California aligns more closely with the national figure at $38,870. At the metro level, several areas show median salaries above the national median. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro posts $44,420, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue stands at $44,350, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton is at $43,680. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington offer median salaries of $37,860 and $38,200, respectively, close to national levels. Overall, earnings potential is closely tied to location, with certain states and metros presenting higher typical pay for this occupation.
Nationally, textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders account for 9,000 jobs, with projected employment growth of -11.7%. This indicates a shrinking employment base over the projection period. Despite this decline, the occupation is expected to have about 1,000 annual openings. These openings reflect ongoing labor market movement, such as workers leaving the occupation or the labor force and positions needing to be refilled. Across both the national and local data presented, the projected growth rate is consistently -11.7%, including in states like California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington, and in key metro areas such as New York-Newark-Jersey City, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington. For job seekers, this means that while total employment is projected to decline, there will still be recurring opportunities, especially in locations where current employment levels and opportunity scores are relatively higher.
Location plays a major role in the opportunity profile for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders. At the state level, California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, a median salary of $38,870, and employment of 750. Massachusetts and New York follow closely with opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78, respectively, and higher median salaries of $43,680 and $46,810. Washington and Colorado round out the top five states, with somewhat lower opportunity scores but still notable employer presence. On the metro side, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area stands out with the highest opportunity score of 77.27, median salary of $44,420, and employment of 170. Boston-Cambridge-Newton and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim also show strong combinations of employment and opportunity scores, with 270 and 560 employed, respectively. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington offer median salaries around or slightly above the national level with smaller employment bases. These differences highlight that both pay and job concentration vary meaningfully by region.
The typical education requirement for textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the field accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education without requiring additional formal degrees. Within that educational framework, success in the role is supported by a specific mix of skills. Mechanical ability, physical strength and stamina, fine motor skills, and being detail oriented are central to the work. The occupation also benefits from project management and leadership capabilities, suggesting that organizing tasks and guiding workflows can be valuable. Mathematics and critical and analytical thinking support problem-solving and accurate measurement or calculation, while computers and information technology skills reflect the importance of working with modern equipment or systems. Creativity and innovation round out the profile, indicating room for improving processes or approaches. Together, these skills complement the typical education level and define the core competency profile for this career.
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