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Spinner: pay, job outlook and how to become one

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

$38,670median pay per year, or $18.59 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $31,790lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,42025th percentile
  3. $38,670median
  4. $42,94075th percentile
  5. $49,420top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median pay for textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders was $38,670 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to decline 10.3% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-10.3%[2]
Openings per year
2,400[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do spinners make?

In this page, spinner means the BLS category Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. The median wage was $38,670 a year, or $18.59 an hour[1]. About half of workers were paid more than this and half were paid less[1]. The average was $40,120 a year, or $19.29 an hour[7].

The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[4]. The median for this job sat below that figure.

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,790 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $49,420[3]. The 25th percentile was $36,420 and the 75th was $42,940[3]. Hourly, the 10th percentile was $15.29 and the 90th was $23.76[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and do not count bonuses or the cost of benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

Virginia had the highest state median at $50,770, followed by Louisiana at $49,690 and New Hampshire at $49,190[11]. Florida had the lowest listed median at $36,160[11].

Georgia had the most at 8,830[12]. North Carolina (4,190), South Carolina (2,240), Virginia (1,530) and Alabama (1,060) came next[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA had the highest median at $47,750[13]. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ ($47,230) and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($43,870) followed[13]. The Dalton, GA area had the most jobs at 3,370, with a median of $38,670[14].

Show median pay in 26 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Virginia[11]$50,7701,530
Louisiana$49,690110
New Hampshire$49,19090
Washington$47,560250
New Jersey$47,230100
Tennessee$46,720470
Connecticut$44,02040
California$43,770360
Maine$40,870100
Indiana$40,630230
Massachusetts$40,270170
Alabama$40,2101,060
Missouri$39,350n/a
Georgia$38,9308,830
Pennsylvania$38,830500
South Carolina$38,2802,240
Ohio$38,160150
Colorado$37,54090
Mississippi$37,46080
Rhode Island$37,400240
New York$37,220160
Illinois$36,950180
Nebraska$36,76040
North Carolina$36,5804,190
Michigan$36,540130
Florida$36,16070

How to become a spinner

BLS describes a short path:

In an ONET survey of 22 workers, 54% said less than a high school diploma is required and 46% said a high school diploma or equivalent[15]. ONET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, where some jobs need little or no experience and others need several months to a year[16].

What spinners do

These workers set up, run or tend machines that wind or twist textiles, or that draw out and combine fiber sliver[17]. Typical tasks include:

Job titles workers report include spinner, twister operator, drawing operator and back winder[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 10.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 23,500 to 21,000 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[20]. The projection counts include self-employed workers, and 5% of these workers were self-employed in 2025[2][21].

Jobs still open up. About 2,400 openings a year are projected on average, which include workers who retire or move to other occupations as well as new jobs[5]. Each year, 6.3% of workers leave the labor force and 5.6% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The entry bar is a high school diploma with no related experience, plus on-the-job training[6]. Median pay was below the all-occupation median[1][4]. Employment is projected to shrink, so openings come mainly from workers leaving or changing occupations[2][5]. Georgia had the most jobs, at 8,830[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a textile spinner make an hour?
The median was $18.59 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $19.29[1][7].
What education do you need to be a spinner?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Are textile machine operator jobs in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 10.3% from 2025 to 2035, while about 2,400 openings a year are projected[2][5].
What is the highest paying state for textile winding and twisting operators?
Virginia had the highest median at $50,770, then Louisiana at $49,690[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US was $38,670 per year and $18.59 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is projected to decline 10.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 23,500 to 21,000 jobs (a change of -2,400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 10th percentile $31,790, 25th percentile $36,420, 75th percentile $42,940, 90th percentile $49,420. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,400 openings for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out 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
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out 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
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders was $40,120 per year and $19.29 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 10th percentile $15.29, 25th percentile $17.51, 75th percentile $20.65, 90th percentile $23.76. 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. Median annual wage for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs: Georgia 8,830; North Carolina 4,190; South Carolina 2,240; Virginia 1,530; Alabama 1,060. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (areas with at least 100 jobs): Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $47,750; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $47,230; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $43,870; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $43,330; Chattanooga, TN-GA $40,140; Dalton, GA $38,670; Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $38,350; Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $38,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs: Dalton, GA 3,370 (median $38,670); Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 1,270 (median $36,800); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,110 (median $43,870); Winston-Salem, NC 780 (median $37,070); Greensboro-High Point, NC 620 (median $37,290); Chattanooga, TN-GA 510 (median $40,140). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 51-6064.00 survey of workers (22 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 54%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 46% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 51-6064.00: 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
  17. O*NET description of Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 51-6064.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Back Winder, Cable Operator, Computer Integrated Manufacturing Operator (CIM Operator), Drawing Operator, Line Operator, Spinner, Spinning Operator, Twister Operator. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections: 5% of Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out 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
  23. 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.