Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Career, Salary and Skills
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $35,650 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 3,280. Wage data is published for 9 locations.
Occupation description
Operate or tend a variety of machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
O*NET code
51-6042.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$35,650
Hourly median
$17.14
Employment
3,280
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$26,560
10th
$29,090
25th
$35,650
Median
$43,090
75th
$47,700
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Operation and Control | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.75 | 2.75 |
Typical tasks
- Align parts to be stitched, following seams, edges, or markings, before positioning them under needles.
- Operate or tend machines to join, decorate, reinforce, or finish shoes and shoe parts.
- Remove and examine shoes, shoe parts, and designs to verify conformance to specifications such as proper embedding of stitches in channels.
- Switch on machines, lower pressure feet or rollers to secure parts, and start machine stitching, using hand, foot, or knee controls.
- Draw thread through machine guide slots, needles, and presser feet in preparation for stitching, or load rolls of wire through machine axles.
- Study work orders or shoe part tags to obtain information about workloads, specifications, and the types of materials to be used.
- Perform routine equipment maintenance such as cleaning and lubricating machines or replacing broken needles.
- Inspect finished products to ensure that shoes have been completed according to specifications.
Technology
- Adobe Acrobat
- Inventory tracking software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Production control software
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in MEMedian $39,850 · Employment 530
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in TXMedian $26,560 · Employment 500
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in MNMedian $37,600 · Employment 370
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in El Paso, TXMedian $23,070 · Employment 170
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in WIMedian $37,970 · Employment 110
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in New York, NYMedian $48,530 · Employment 40
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in NYMedian $48,420 · Employment 40
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in CAMedian $47,730 · Employment 30
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $47,730 · Employment 30
Related careers
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $50,140
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $46,330
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $50,620
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $50,270
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticNational median $46,170
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and SharpenersNational median $50,060
- Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $38,670
- Machine Feeders and OffbearersNational median $41,220
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.