Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
Also called: Ager, Ager Operator, Ager Tender, Aging Box Hand, Ammonia Box Operator, Ammonia Box Tender, Ash Kier Boiler, Autoclave Operator
Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.
What textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Add dyes, water, detergents, or chemicals to tanks to dilute or strengthen solutions, according to established formulas and solution test results.
- 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.
- Inspect machinery to determine necessary adjustments and repairs.
- Confer with coworkers to get information about order details, processing plans, or problems that occur.
- Sew ends of cloth together, by hand or using machines, to form endless lengths of cloth to facilitate processing.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders salary
The median annual wage for textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders is $38,180 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $30,300 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $48,100. The mean annual wage is $40,380.
The mean hourly wage of $19.00 is 2.6× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $38,180 → in 3 years $40,600 → in 5 years $42,300 → in 10 years $46,900 (10-year range $40,300–$54,500). The model assumes pay growth of +2.1% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.