Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders pay in the U.S.
$36,280avg. a year
$17.44 an hour · 3,280 employed
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders in the U.S. earn an average of $36,280 a year and a median of $35,650. Pay is highest in California ($51,250) and lowest in Texas ($25,840).
$35,650Median pay
$17.44Average hourly
+15%Avg. pay since 2020
3,280Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for shoe machine operators and tenders
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 6.
130 jobs
California
$51,250
$24.64 an hour
240 jobs
New York
$46,750
$22.48 an hour
3530 jobs
Maine
$40,840
$19.64 an hour
4110 jobs
Wisconsin
$39,590
$19.04 an hour
5370 jobs
Minnesota
$37,250
$17.91 an hour
6500 jobs
Texas
$25,840
$12.42 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $37k$37k–$41k$41k–$47k$47k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| El Paso, TX | $24,240 | $11.66 |
Related jobs
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $51,250 | $47,730 | 30 |
| Maine | $40,840 | $39,850 | 530 |
| Minnesota | $37,250 | $37,600 | 370 |
| New York | $46,750 | $48,420 | 40 |
| Texas | $25,840 | $26,560 | 500 |
| Wisconsin | $39,590 | $37,970 | 110 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
El Paso, TX
$24,240
170 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do shoe machine operators and tenders make?
The average is $36,280 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $35,650 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $17.44, and the median is $17.14 an hour.
Which state pays shoe machine operators and tenders the most?
California, with an average of $51,250 a year. The best-paying metro area is El Paso, TX at $24,240.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $26,560 a year, and the top 10% earn over $47,700.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 51-6042. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.