Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Career, Salary and Skills
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $35,060 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 26,120. Wage data is published for 150 locations.
Occupation description
Press or shape articles by hand or machine.
O*NET code
51-6021.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$35,060
Hourly median
$16.85
Employment
26,120
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$27,180
10th
$29,870
25th
$35,060
Median
$37,940
75th
$43,050
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.00 | 2.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Time Management | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Monitoring | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.25 | 1.38 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.25 | 1.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.25 | 1.75 |
| Speaking | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Active Learning | 2.12 | 1.50 |
Typical tasks
- Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
- Straighten, smooth, or shape materials to prepare them for pressing.
- Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.
- Finish pleated garments, determining sizes of pleats from evidence of old pleats or from work orders, using machine presses or hand irons.
- Lower irons, rams, or pressing heads of machines into position over material to be pressed.
- Identify and treat spots on garments.
- Shrink, stretch, or block articles by hand to conform to original measurements, using forms, blocks, and steam.
- Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
Technology
- Email software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in CAMedian $39,300 · Employment 3,850
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in TXMedian $29,680 · Employment 3,490
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in FLMedian $31,760 · Employment 2,130
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in New York, NYMedian $37,920 · Employment 1,990
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in NYMedian $36,510 · Employment 1,730
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $39,300 · Employment 1,420
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $31,790 · Employment 1,050
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in Miami, FLMedian $32,480 · Employment 1,040
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in GAMedian $33,010 · Employment 1,010
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in NJMedian $37,920 · Employment 870
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in NVMedian $35,560 · Employment 820
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials Salary in OHMedian $30,820 · Employment 810
Related careers
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $50,140
- Packers and Packagers, HandNational median $36,280
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticNational median $46,170
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $45,760
- Print Binding and Finishing WorkersNational median $42,290
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingNational median $43,380
- Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom SewersNational median $41,640
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersNational median $43,220
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.