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Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Job Description
Set up, operate, or tend machines that knit, loop, weave, or draw in textiles.
What Do Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Take On?
The core tasks performed by textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders cover:
- Observe woven cloth to detect weaving defects.
- Thread yarn, thread, and fabric through guides, needles, and rollers of machines for weaving, knitting, or other processing.
- Remove defects in cloth by cutting and pulling out filling.
- Examine looms to determine causes of loom stoppage, such as warp filling, harness breaks, or mechanical defects.
- Inspect products to ensure that specifications are met and to determine if machines need adjustment.
- Notify supervisors or repair staff of mechanical malfunctions.
- Start machines, monitor operations, and make adjustments as needed.
- Stop machines when specified amounts of product have been produced.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Automated Weaver
- Automatic Full-Fashioned Hosiery Knitting Machine Operator
- Automatic Pad-Making Machine Operator
- Belt Weaver
- Blanket Weaver
- Braid Pattern Setter
- Broadloom Weaver
- Carpet Loom Fixer
How Many Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Are There?
There are roughly 209,222 textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +5.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $52,453 |
| Hourly median | $25.22 |
| 10th percentile | $36,475 |
| 25th percentile | $44,464 |
| 75th percentile | $60,442 |
| 90th percentile | $68,431 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $65,820 |
| Mississippi | $49,720 |
| New York | $47,970 |
| Maine | $47,320 |
| New Hampshire | $47,170 |
| Washington | $46,700 |
| Minnesota | $43,950 |
| Michigan | $43,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,040 |
| Massachusetts | $40,030 |
| South Carolina | $39,680 |
| Georgia | $38,630 |
| Virginia | $38,570 |
| New Jersey | $38,390 |
| Ohio | $38,280 |
| Alabama | $37,860 |
| California | $37,290 |
| North Carolina | $36,520 |
| Indiana | $36,350 |
| Louisiana | $35,740 |
| Texas | $33,690 |
| Tennessee | $32,500 |
| Rhode Island | $31,420 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $50,212 | 3.3% | 0.41 |
| Plains States | $43,950 | 0.5% | 0.26 |
| Middle Atlantic | $43,695 | 6.9% | 0.73 |
| New England | $38,897 | 4.7% | 3.31 |
| Far Western US | $38,719 | 5.6% | 0.39 |
| Southeast | $37,972 | 77.1% | 6.92 |
| Southwest | $33,690 | 1.8% | 0.19 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | PA | $64,540 | 50 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $51,890 | 30 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $47,610 | 90 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $45,260 | 170 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $43,410 | 70 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | SC | $42,770 | 650 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $41,940 | 140 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $41,630 | 750 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 13,880 | $38,280 |
| Wholesale Trade | 340 | $35,260 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 260 | $35,430 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How to Become Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Typical textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Print Binding and Finishing Workers (Primary-Long)
- Sewing Machine Operators (Primary-Short)
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders (Primary-Long)
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-6063.00 (Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders).