Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Career, Salary and Skills
Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $46,170 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 33,190. Wage data is published for 179 locations.
Occupation description
Shape molten glass according to patterns.
O*NET code
51-9195.04
Job zone
2
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$46,170
Hourly median
$22.20
Employment
33,190
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$35,850
10th
$39,280
25th
$46,170
Median
$53,000
75th
$61,530
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Operation and Control | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.88 | 2.75 |
Typical tasks
- Shape, bend, or join sections of glass, using paddles, pressing and flattening hand tools, or cork.
- Blow tubing into specified shapes to prevent glass from collapsing, using compressed air or own breath, or blow and rotate gathers in molds or on boards to obtain final shapes.
- Cut lengths of tubing to specified sizes, using files or cutting wheels.
- Inspect, weigh, and measure products to verify conformance to specifications, using instruments such as micrometers, calipers, magnifiers, or rulers.
- Develop sketches of glass products into blueprint specifications, applying knowledge of glass technology and glass blowing.
- Record manufacturing information, such as quantities, sizes, or types of goods produced.
- Determine types and quantities of glass required to fabricate products.
- Heat glass to pliable stage, using gas flames or ovens and rotating glass to heat it uniformly.
Technology
- Billing software
- Inventory control software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in CAMedian $49,190 · Employment 3,590
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in TXMedian $40,010 · Employment 2,550
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in FLMedian $45,030 · Employment 2,410
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in PAMedian $45,310 · Employment 1,690
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in OHMedian $44,560 · Employment 1,560
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in INMedian $46,400 · Employment 1,520
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in MIMedian $45,250 · Employment 1,470
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in ILMedian $47,180 · Employment 1,230
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in MAMedian $50,550 · Employment 1,200
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in NYMedian $45,940 · Employment 1,150
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in WAMedian $51,780 · Employment 1,130
- Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $47,640 · Employment 970
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.