Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.
Also called: Beck Operator · Dye House Worker · Dye Line Operator · Dye Machine Operator · Dye Operator · Dye Tub Operator
Median pay (national)
$37,320
$28,990–$47,660 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
5,820
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-10.1%
~700 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $47,660 versus $28,990 at the bottom 10% — 1.6x. The median of $37,320 leaves roughly 28% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -10.1% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 700 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 18 states with released data, Massachusetts pays the most for this role (median $49,350, +32% vs the national median), while Wisconsin sits lowest at $26,280 — a 88% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Weigh ingredients, such as dye, to be mixed together for use in textile processing.
- Start and control machines and equipment to wash, bleach, dye, or otherwise process and finish fabric, yarn, thread, or other textile goods.
- Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.
- Examine and feel products to identify defects and variations from coloring and other processing standards.
- Adjust equipment controls to maintain specified heat, tension, and speed.
- Soak specified textile products for designated times.
- Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
- Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
- Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
- Inspect machinery to determine necessary adjustments and repairs.
Tools & technology
- Linux
- SAP software
- Hewlett-Packard HP OpenVMS
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Mechanical