Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $39,530 per year ($19.01/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 13.7% through 2035, with about 1,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-6063
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender in four numbers
- Median pay
- $39,530a year, or $19.01/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $30KTop 10% $49K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -13.7%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−13.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −13.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,30013,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202513.9K
- Projected 203512K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 13.9K Projected 2035 12K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school5.3%
- High school94.7%
Highest education held by textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders Segment Value Less than high school 5.3% High school 94.7%
Also advertised as: Knitter, Knitting Machine Operator, Loom Fixer, Machine Operator, Operator, Tufting Machine Operator.
Pay
How much do Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
Every textile knitting and weaving machine setter, operator, and tender in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$39,530
Middle half earn $36,390 to $45,220
- 10th
- $29,960
- 25th
- $36,390
- 75th
- $45,220
- 90th
- $49,130
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $29,960 |
| 25th | $36,390 |
| Median | $39,530 |
| 75th | $45,220 |
| 90th | $49,130 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $39,530
- Median hourly wage
- $19.01/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $40,720
- People employed
- 13,030
Versus all US occupations
At $39,530, Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn 22% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $11,450 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 18% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $49,130 or more while the bottom 10% earn $29,960, a gap of 1.6×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 7% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
New York posts the highest raw median ($49,570), but once local prices are taken into account Maine leads at $49,820 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $49,570 | $45,932 | 230 |
| 2New Hampshire | $48,440 | $46,503 | 70 |
| 3Maine | $48,350 | $49,820 | 160 |
| 4Washington | $48,220 | $45,060 | 110 |
| 5Minnesota | $46,430 | $47,079 | 50 |
| 6Wisconsin | $45,610 | $48,472 | 150 |
| 7Pennsylvania | $45,580 | $46,714 | 510 |
| 8Ohio | $45,040 | $48,548 | 60 |
| 9California | $44,530 | $40,219 | 590 |
| 10Massachusetts | $44,190 | $41,784 | 180 |
Job outlook
Is Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -13.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | −13.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders to change -13.7% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,900 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,300 openings are projected each year, 9.4% of the 13,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)94.7%
- Less than a High School Diploma5.3%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 94.7% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 5.3% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender do?
Set up, operate, or tend machines that knit, loop, weave, or draw in textiles.
Day-to-day tasks
- Thread yarn, thread, and fabric through guides, needles, and rollers of machines for weaving, knitting, or other processing.
- Notify supervisors or repair staff of mechanical malfunctions.
- Inspect machinery to determine whether repairs are needed.
- Inspect products to ensure that specifications are met and to determine if machines need adjustment.
- Stop machines when specified amounts of product have been produced.
- Start machines, monitor operations, and make adjustments as needed.
- Observe woven cloth to detect weaving defects.
- Confer with co-workers to obtain information about orders, processes, or problems.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantLittle or no dealing with customers or the public.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking2.9
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Writing2.4
- Learning Strategies2.1
- Active Learning2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 |
| Writing | 2.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.4
- Operation and Control3.0
- Quality Control Analysis2.9
- Time Management2.6
- Complex Problem Solving2.5
- Equipment Maintenance2.5
- Troubleshooting2.5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.5 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.5 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.5 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.3
- Investigative1.8
- Artistic1.6
- Enterprising1.4
- Social1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
O*NET related occupations
- Production
Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$38,670median a year
Most earn $32K to $49K
−10.3%High school - Production
- Production
Textile Cutting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$38,760median a year
Most earn $29K to $49K
−13.6%High school - Production
Paper Goods Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$50,270median a year
Most earn $37K to $70K
−3.6%High school - Production
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operator and Tender
$38,180median a year
Most earn $30K to $48K
−12.5%High school - Production
Extruding and Forming Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Synthetic and Glass Fiber
$46,350median a year
Most earn $36K to $64K
−3.3%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender$39,530
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender | $39,530 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender appears on
Questions
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender: frequently asked questions
How much do Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $39,530 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 22% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $19.01/hr. The middle half earn between $36,390 and $45,220. The top 10% earn $49,130 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 94.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 13.7% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,900 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender do?
Set up, operate, or tend machines that knit, loop, weave, or draw in textiles. A core O*NET task: thread yarn, thread, and fabric through guides, needles, and rollers of machines for weaving, knitting, or other processing. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
Which states pay Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most?
The highest state medians for Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders are New York ($49,570), New Hampshire ($48,440), Maine ($48,350) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Maine moves to the top at $49,820.
What personality type suits a Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender?
O*NET scores Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.