How much does a fabric dyer make?
a year · about $18 an hour
A typical fabric dyer in the United States makes $38,180 a year, about $18 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They weigh dye, load fabric or yarn, and start a machine. They watch the temperature and dye flow, check the color for flaws, adjust the machine, and record the work.
Did you know? In one dye bath, cotton can turn bright while polyester stays pale—even when both soak together—because the dye sticks much better to cotton.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $30,300 and $48,100How do you become one?
In the U.S., a high school diploma or GED is common, though some jobs may not require one. Apply for an entry-level dye-house job and learn its machines on the job; training can take days to about a year.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience, useful certifications, and skill with tricky colors or complex machines can affect pay. Factory type, location, and hours or shift premiums can also change what a worker earns.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Rhode Island ($45,930), lowest in Florida ($29,850).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,300 | $38,180 | $48,100 | about 5,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $45,930 | about 210 |
| Michigan | $44,720 | about 60 |
| Mississippi | $43,640 | about 80 |
| Georgia | $41,960 | about 490 |
| South Carolina | $39,410 | about 770 |
Official definition: Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/51-6061.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes516061.htm
- www.acs.org/education/celebrating-chemistry-editions/2022-ncw/dyeing-to-color-fa
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY