Operate or tend bonding machines that use adhesives to join items for further processing or to form a completed product. Processes include joining veneer sheets into plywood; gluing paper; or joining rubber and rubberized fabric parts, plastic, simulated leather, or other materials. Excludes “Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders” (51-6042).
National median · BLS
$46,460
▲ +2.76%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$46,850
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
11,500
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$31,460
25th
$37,220
Median (50th)
$46,460
75th
$53,610
90th — top pay
$60,810
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
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Weekly—
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Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
BLS projects employment of adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders to grow 1.3% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 1,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
12,100 → 12,200
+200 jobs
Projected change
+1.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
4.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
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Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Operation and Control3.9
Operations Monitoring3.8
Active Listening3.1
Monitoring3.1
Quality Control Analysis3.1
Speaking3.1
Coordination3.0
Reading Comprehension3.0
Repairing3.0
Time Management3.0
Top knowledge areas
Production and Processing4.0
Mechanical3.7
English Language3.4
Mathematics3.0
Customer and Personal Service3.0
Education and Training2.9
Public Safety and Security2.9
Computers and Electronics2.8
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordSAP software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders do
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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $46,460.
