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Adhesive bonding machine operator: pay, job outlook and how to get in

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$46,460median pay per year, or $22.34 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $31,460lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,22025th percentile
  3. $46,460median
  4. $53,61075th percentile
  5. $60,810top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median pay for adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders was $46,460 a year, compared with $50,980 for all occupations[1][2]. BLS lists a high school diploma as the typical entry education[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.3%[5]
Openings per year
1,300[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[3]

How much do adhesive bonding machine operators make?

The median pay was $46,460 a year, or $22.34 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $46,850 a year, or $22.53 an hour[7]. The median across all occupations was $50,980[2].

Here is how pay was spread[4][8]:

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[4][8] $31,460 $15.12
25th[4][8] $37,220 $17.90
75th[4][8] $53,610 $25.77
90th[4][8] $60,810 $29.24

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,460[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 11,500 people held these jobs[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 36 states with published data, Utah had the highest median pay at $65,500, followed by Oklahoma at $59,980 and New Jersey at $59,170[12]. Mississippi had the lowest listed median at $31,250[12].

North Carolina had the most jobs with 1,590, followed by Ohio with 940, Oregon with 900, Texas with 790 and Indiana with 690[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had the highest median at $100,830, followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington at $60,290[14]. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area had the most jobs with 460 and a median of $51,540[15].

Show median pay in 36 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Utah[12]$65,500100
Oklahoma$59,980390
New Jersey$59,170n/a
Idaho$57,670140
Washington$56,580320
Minnesota$56,540120
Pennsylvania$53,320500
Kentucky$52,140110
Wisconsin$50,290350
Oregon$50,050900
Colorado$49,920130
Arkansas$49,770310
Ohio$49,390940
Connecticut$49,28050
Iowa$49,220170
Texas$48,450790
Kansas$47,490110
Virginia$47,250320
South Carolina$47,000130
Georgia$46,350350
Michigan$45,470210
Nevada$45,32060
Maine$43,96050
Nebraska$43,23050
Tennessee$42,830260
New York$42,130400
Arizona$41,60090
California$40,440580
Indiana$40,380690
Massachusetts$39,250130
Missouri$38,340190
Alabama$37,790130
North Carolina$34,8301,590
Florida$34,650120
Maryland$33,54040
Mississippi$31,250430

How to get into this job

O*NET places the job in a group where some jobs need little or no experience and others need several months to a year[17].

What adhesive bonding machine operators do

They operate machines that bond materials together, either as a step toward further processing or to make a finished product[18]. Common tasks include[19]:

Job titles reported by workers include Glue Line Operator, Gluer Machine Operator and Sealer Operator[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 12,100 to 12,200 jobs[5]. Employment across all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[21]. These counts include self-employed workers, so they differ from the wage and salary count above[5]. In 2025, 4.7% of workers in this occupation were self-employed[22].

BLS projects about 1,300 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs that come open when workers retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year 4.6% of workers leave the labor force and 5.8% move to a different occupation[23].

Is it a good fit?

The facts describe a job that typically needs a high school diploma and moderate-term on-the-job training[3]. Median pay is a little below the all-occupations median[1][2]. Pay differs a lot by state, from $65,500 in Utah to $31,250 in Mississippi[12]. Growth is projected below the all-occupations rate[5][21].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an adhesive bonding machine operator make an hour?
The median was $22.34 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $15.12 and the 90th was $29.24[8].
What education do you need to be an adhesive bonding machine operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education[3].
How long does it take to learn this job?
BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training[3]. The facts do not give an exact length.
Is adhesive bonding machine operator in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 1.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[5][21]. About 1,300 openings a year are projected[6].
What is the highest paying state for adhesive bonding machine operators?
Utah, with a median of $65,500, followed by Oklahoma at $59,980[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders in the US was $46,460 per year and $22.34 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders: 10th percentile $31,460, 25th percentile $37,220, 75th percentile $53,610, 90th percentile $60,810. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders is projected to grow 1.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 12,100 to 12,200 jobs (a change of +200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,300 openings for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders was $46,850 per year and $22.53 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders: 10th percentile $15.12, 25th percentile $17.90, 75th percentile $25.77, 90th percentile $29.24. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 11,500 people were employed as Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders jobs: North Carolina 1,590; Ohio 940; Oregon 900; Texas 790; Indiana 690. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders (areas with at least 100 jobs): Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $100,830; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $60,290; Medford, OR $54,850; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $51,540; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $51,410; Eugene-Springfield, OR $49,180; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $48,820; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $45,100. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders jobs: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 460 (median $51,540); Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 390 (median $33,870); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 350 (median $39,780); Eugene-Springfield, OR 300 (median $49,180); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 250 (median $100,830); Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 220 (median $34,550). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-9191.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 73%, Post-Secondary Certificate 17%, Less than a High School Diploma 10% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 51-9191.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 51-9191.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Coater Operator, Glue Line Operator, Glue Reel Operator, Gluer Machine Operator, Gluing Pressman, Machine Operator, Perfect Bind Machine Operator, Sealer Operator. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections: 4.7% of Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders: 4.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.