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Fabric cutter: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$38,760median pay per year, or $18.64 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $28,650lowest 10% earn less
  2. $34,23025th percentile
  3. $38,760median
  4. $45,22075th percentile
  5. $49,420top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

A fabric cutter, which BLS calls a textile cutting machine setter, operator or tender, earned a median of $38,760 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall 13.6% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-13.6%[2]
Openings per year
900[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do fabric cutters make?

The median wage for textile cutting machine setters, operators and tenders was $38,760 a year, or $18.64 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) wage was $39,530 a year, or $19.01 an hour[8].

For all occupations in the US, the median annual wage was $50,980[5]. The typical fabric cutter earned less than that.

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,650 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $34,230[4][9]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $45,220, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $49,420[4]. Hourly, those four boundaries were $13.78, $16.46, $21.74 and $23.76[10]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, full-time and part-time. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not count bonuses or the cost of benefits[11].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[4] $28,650
25th percentile[4] $34,230
Median[1] $38,760
75th percentile[4] $45,220
90th percentile[4] $49,420

Pay by state and city

BLS published state wages for 37 states[12]. Connecticut had the highest median at $47,160, followed by New York at $46,810 and New Hampshire at $45,930[12]. Nevada was lowest in that list at $28,630[12].

Georgia had the most jobs with 1,560, then North Carolina with 840, California with 750, Texas with 680 and South Carolina with 480[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC paid the most at $49,390, followed by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC at $48,640 and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA at $45,220[14]. Dalton, GA had the most jobs of any metro area, at 570[15]. Its median was $37,820[15].

Show median pay in 37 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Connecticut[12]$47,16050
New York$46,810170
New Hampshire$45,93080
Hawaii$45,760n/a
Washington$45,380140
Massachusetts$43,680380
North Carolina$43,460840
Indiana$41,74070
South Carolina$41,740480
Ohio$41,600370
Minnesota$41,480100
New Jersey$40,780120
Rhode Island$40,00030
Georgia$39,8401,560
Wisconsin$39,630130
California$38,870750
Illinois$38,600230
Oregon$38,46090
Mississippi$37,600400
Louisiana$37,490n/a
Arizona$37,460100
Michigan$37,280100
Oklahoma$37,11050
Colorado$36,87030
Tennessee$36,710320
Pennsylvania$36,690230
Kansas$35,93040
Florida$35,680450
Alabama$35,000160
Maryland$34,89050
Virginia$34,41050
Kentucky$31,04050
Missouri$30,540170
Texas$30,160680
Iowa$30,06070
Arkansas$29,14040
Nevada$28,63070

How to become a fabric cutter

The path in, according to BLS:

In an ONET survey of 22 workers, 68% said a high school diploma or the equivalent is the education required, and 32% said less than a high school diploma[16]. ONET places the job in a zone for occupations needing very little to some preparation[17]. The facts do not say how long the training lasts, and they do not list a license.

What fabric cutters do

Fabric cutters set up, run or tend machines that cut textiles[18]. Typical tasks include:

O*NET job titles include spread cutter, laser operator and CNC cutting operator[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects that employment will fall 13.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 9,400 jobs to 8,200[2]. For all occupations, the projection is growth of 3.5%[3].

Jobs will still open. BLS expects about 900 openings a year on average, and that count includes spots left by people who retire or switch jobs, as well as new ones[6]. Each year, 6.3% of workers leave the labor force and 5.6% move to a different occupation[21].

BLS counted about 9,000 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[22]. The projection count is a different measure and includes self-employed workers, who were 5.1% of the occupation in 2025[2][23].

Is it a good fit?

Getting in is fairly simple: a high school diploma, no related experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[7]. Pay is below the all-occupations median, though the top 10% earned more than $49,420[5][4]. Pay also varies by place, from $47,160 in Connecticut to $28,630 in Nevada[12]. The outlook is a caution, with a projected 13.6% decline against 3.5% growth for all jobs[2][3]. The work combines machine setup, cutting and quality checks[19].

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

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fabric cutter make an hour?
The median was $18.64 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $19.01[1][8].
What education do you need to be a fabric cutter?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[7].
Is fabric cutting in demand?
BLS projects a 13.6% decline from 2025 to 2035, with about 900 openings a year[2][6].
Which state has the most fabric cutter jobs?
Georgia had the most, with 1,560 jobs[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US was $38,760 per year and $18.64 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is projected to decline 13.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 9,400 to 8,200 jobs (a change of -1,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 10th percentile $28,650, 25th percentile $34,230, 75th percentile $45,220, 90th percentile $49,420. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 900 openings for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, 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 Employment Projections, typical path into Textile Cutting Machine Setters, 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
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders was $39,530 per year and $19.01 per hour. 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, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 10th percentile $13.78, 25th percentile $16.46, 75th percentile $21.74, 90th percentile $23.76. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. 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
  12. Median annual wage for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, 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 Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs: Georgia 1,560; North Carolina 840; California 750; Texas 680; South Carolina 480. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (areas with at least 100 jobs): Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $49,390; Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $48,640; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $45,220; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $44,420; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $44,350; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $43,680; Greensboro-High Point, NC $38,940; Winston-Salem, NC $38,740. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs: Dalton, GA 570 (median $37,820); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 560 (median $45,220); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 560 (median $37,860); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 270 (median $43,680); Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 270 (median $48,640); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 240 (median $35,390). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-6062.00 survey of workers (22 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 68%, Less than a High School Diploma 32% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 51-6062.00: 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 Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 51-6062.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Automated Cutting Machine Operator, CNC Cutting Operator (Computer Numerical Control Cutting Operator), Cutter, Cutter Operator, Die Cut Operator, Fabric Cutter, Laser Operator, Spread Cutter. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 6.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.6% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 9,000 people were employed as Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  23. BLS Employment Projections: 5.1% of Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders were self-employed in 2025. 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.