Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,460 | $15.12 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,460 | $22.34 |
| Mean (average) | $46,850 | $22.53 |
| 90th percentile | $60,810 | $29.24 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 37 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $37,790 | $28,150 | $48,940 | 130 | 0.84 |
| Arizona | $41,600 | $36,730 | $47,160 | 90 | 0.37 |
| Arkansas | $49,770 | $38,820 | $62,700 | 310 | 3.24 |
| California | $40,440 | $35,430 | $63,070 | 580 | 0.43 |
| Colorado | $49,920 | $41,600 | $63,270 | 130 | 0.62 |
| Connecticut | $49,280 | $36,240 | $65,260 | 50 | 0.36 |
| Florida | $34,650 | $27,830 | $53,250 | 120 | 0.16 |
| Georgia | $46,350 | $37,060 | $48,840 | 350 | 0.96 |
| Idaho | $57,670 | $37,210 | $58,170 | 140 | 2.23 |
| Indiana | $40,380 | $36,000 | $54,870 | 690 | 2.91 |
| Iowa | $49,220 | $40,700 | $65,150 | 170 | 1.47 |
| Kansas | $47,490 | $39,220 | $62,410 | 110 | 0.99 |
| Kentucky | $52,140 | $37,110 | $60,490 | 110 | 0.74 |
| Maine | $43,960 | $38,030 | $56,900 | 50 | 0.96 |
| Maryland | $33,540 | $31,240 | $54,540 | 40 | 0.21 |
| Massachusetts | $39,250 | $36,450 | $49,120 | 130 | 0.48 |
| Michigan | $45,470 | $39,040 | $59,340 | 210 | 0.65 |
| Minnesota | $56,540 | $45,200 | $64,330 | 120 | 0.55 |
| Mississippi | $31,250 | $28,590 | $38,290 | 430 | 4.94 |
| Missouri | $38,340 | $30,540 | $63,010 | 190 | 0.85 |
| Nebraska | $43,230 | $34,000 | $56,630 | 50 | 0.67 |
| Nevada | $45,320 | $39,190 | $51,320 | 60 | 0.53 |
| New Jersey | $59,170 | $49,160 | $76,030 | ||
| New York | $42,130 | $36,230 | $55,840 | 400 | 0.56 |
| North Carolina | $34,830 | $27,210 | $50,040 | 1,590 | 4.35 |
| Ohio | $49,390 | $36,080 | $59,320 | 940 | 2.29 |
| Oklahoma | $59,980 | $40,540 | $60,810 | 390 | 3.1 |
| Oregon | $50,050 | $37,810 | $58,500 | 900 | 6.2 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,320 | $42,930 | $56,720 | 500 | 1.12 |
| South Carolina | $47,000 | $36,490 | $61,310 | 130 | 0.77 |
| South Dakota | Data unavailable | 60 | 1.63 | ||
| Tennessee | $42,830 | $31,320 | $51,110 | 260 | 1.09 |
| Texas | $48,450 | $29,570 | $84,850 | 790 | 0.76 |
| Utah | $65,500 | $39,780 | $68,430 | 100 | 0.77 |
| Virginia | $47,250 | $35,740 | $55,240 | 320 | 1.04 |
| Washington | $56,580 | $42,570 | $104,010 | 320 | 1.21 |
| Wisconsin | $50,290 | $42,350 | $59,120 | 350 | 1.6 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 4.7%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Align and position materials being joined to ensure accurate application of adhesive or heat sealing.
- Adjust machine components according to specifications such as widths, lengths, and thickness of materials and amounts of glue, cement, or adhesive required.
- Monitor machine operations to detect malfunctions and report or resolve problems.
- Start machines, and turn valves or move controls to feed, admit, apply, or transfer materials and adhesives, and to adjust temperature, pressure, and time settings.
- Fill machines with glue, cement, or adhesives.
- Perform test production runs and make adjustments as necessary to ensure that completed products meet standards and specifications.
- Examine and measure completed materials or products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring devices such as tape measures, gauges, or calipers.
- Read work orders and communicate with coworkers to determine machine and equipment settings and adjustments and supply and product specifications.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Coordination, Troubleshooting, Repairing.
Common job titles: Coater Operator, Glue Line Operator, Glue Reel Operator, Gluer Machine Operator, Gluing Pressman, Machine Operator, Perfect Bind Machine Operator, Sealer Operator, Utility Worker.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders make?
The national median annual wage for adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders was $46,460 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $31,460 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $60,810. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders a growing career?
BLS projects employment of adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders to change +1.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Utah ($65,500), Oklahoma ($59,980), New Jersey ($59,170). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.