---

Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders in California

Thinking about a career as a Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders in California? Here’s what you need to know. Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.

What do Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Make in California?

For shoe machine operators and tenders working in California, the median annual wage is $46,240 per year (or about $22.23/hour).Earnings range from $42,680 at the 10th percentile to $58,200 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$42,680	$20.52
25th percentile	$45,320	$21.79
Median (50th)	$46,240	$22.23
75th percentile	$50,440	$24.25
90th percentile	$58,200	$27.98

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California relative to the national average — is 0.16, suggesting fewer shoe machine operators and tenders per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, shoe machine operators and tenders earn a median of $48,646 per year ($23.39/hour), lower than the California median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 541,691 shoe machine operators and tenders nationwide. In California alone, around 60 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 320 shoe machine operators and tenders.

Top California Metros for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

These are the California metros with the most shoe machine operators and tenders in California.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	50	$45,670

Top States for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Employment

These states have the highest employment of shoe machine operators and tenders work.

State	Number Employed
Maine	580
Texas	510
Minnesota	320
Wisconsin	90
California	60
New York	60

Highest-Paying States for Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders

These states pay the most for shoe machine operators and tenders.

State	Annual Median Salary
New York	$46,290
California	$46,240
Wisconsin	$40,780
Maine	$39,830
Minnesota	$38,420
Texas	$24,160

Skills

Key shoe machine operators and tenders skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for shoe machine operators and tenders, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders typically:

• Inspect finished products to ensure that shoes have been completed according to specifications.
• Align parts to be stitched, following seams, edges, or markings, before positioning them under needles.
• Operate or tend machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
• Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels.
• Switch on machines, lower pressure feet or rollers to secure parts, and start machine stitching, using hand, foot, or knee controls.
• Draw thread through machine guide slots, needles, and presser feet in preparation for stitching, or load rolls of wire through machine axles.
• Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used.
• Perform routine equipment maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating machines or replacing broken needles.
• Test machinery to ensure proper functioning before beginning production.
• Select and place spools of thread or pre-wound bobbins into shuttles, or onto spindles or loupers of stitching machines.
• Cut excess thread or material from shoe parts, using scissors or knives.
• Turn knobs to adjust stitch length and thread tension.

Work Activities

• Handling and Moving Objects
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Training and Teaching Others
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Leatherworking & Upholstery

Related Careers

Other careers like shoe machine operators and tenders include:

• Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
• Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials

Also Known As

Anchor Operator, Anchorer, Ankle Patch Molder, Apron Trimmer, Arch Cushion Press Operator, Archer, Back Closer, Back Stayer, Back Strip Machine Operator, Back Wedger, Barrer, Bed Laster, Bed Machine Operator, Binding Dyer, Binding Stitcher.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-6042.00