Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for shoe machine operators and tenders in the U.S. is $35,650 ($17.14 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $35,650
- Mean annual wage
- $36,280
- Median hourly wage
- $17.14
- Employment
- 3,280
3,280 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $26,560 | $12.77 |
| 25th percentile | $29,090 | $13.99 |
| Median (50th) | $35,650 | $17.14 |
| 75th percentile | $43,090 | $20.72 |
| 90th percentile | $47,700 | $22.94 |
Highest-paying states for shoe machine operators and tenders
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $48,420 | 40 |
| California | $47,730 | 30 |
| Maine | $39,850 | 530 |
| Wisconsin | $37,970 | 110 |
| Minnesota | $37,600 | 370 |
| Texas | $26,560 | 500 |
Lowest-paying states
- Texas: $26,560 median annual wage
- Minnesota: $37,600 median annual wage
- Wisconsin: $37,970 median annual wage
- Maine: $39,850 median annual wage
- California: $47,730 median annual wage
About this occupation
Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
Typical tasks
- Test machinery to ensure proper functioning before beginning production.
- Inspect finished products to ensure that shoes have been completed according to specifications.
- Select and place spools of thread or pre-wound bobbins into shuttles, or onto spindles or loupers of stitching machines.
- Perform routine equipment maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating machines or replacing broken needles.
- Staple sides of shoes, pressing a foot treadle to position and hold each shoe under the feeder of the machine.
- Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 21.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 35.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 23.7% |
| Associate's degree | 7.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 10.4% |
| Master's degree | 1.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.