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Skilled Trades

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$38,180

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$30k – $48k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

    Entry / Junior

    $30,300

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

    Established

    $38,180

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders

    Senior

    $43,140

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.
  • •Observe display screens, control panels, equipment, and cloth entering or exiting processes to determine if equipment is operating correctly.
  • •Notify supervisors or mechanics of equipment malfunctions.
  • •Monitor factors such as temperatures and dye flow rates to ensure that they are within specified ranges.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.