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Skilled Trades

Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut textiles.

Median salary (BLS)

$38,760

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$29k – $49k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

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 Cutting Machine Setters, 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 Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Entry / Junior

    $28,650

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Established

    $38,760

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

    Senior

    $44,090

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Inspect products to ensure that the quality standards and specifications are met.
  • •Place patterns on top of layers of fabric and cut fabric following patterns, using electric or manual knives, cutters, or computer numerically controlled cutting devices.
  • •Start machines, monitor operations, and make adjustments as needed.
  • •Adjust machine controls, such as heating mechanisms, tensions, or speeds, to produce specified products.
  • •Record information about work completed and machine settings.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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