How much does a fabric dyer make?
Answer: A typical fabric dyer in the United States makes $38,180 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 5,000 people work in this job. Below the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Fabric dyer pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $39,410 | about 770 |
| North Carolina | $37,610 | about 980 |
| California | $36,670 | about 880 |
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.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a fabric dyer do?
Operate or tend machines to bleach, shrink, wash, dye, or finish textiles or synthetic or glass fibers.
What's a typical day like?
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.
How to get this job
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.
High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.
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.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Production jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
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