Mid-Level

Textile Engineer

The engineer who handles textile engineering — covering fiber, yarn, fabric, and finished textile manufacturing — and being the practitioner whose work shapes how textiles are designed, produced, and tested for performance.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
R
I
C
A
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Realistichands-on, practical
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Based on Holland Code framework
Job markets for Textile Engineers
Employment concentration · ~345 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
What it's like

What it's like to be a Textile Engineer

Most days tend to involve a blend of process engineering, materials work, and quality coordination — supporting textile production processes, evaluating new materials or methods, and partnering with manufacturing and quality teams. You'll often spend part of the time on the technical fabric of testing, specifications, and process documentation.

The harder part is often the global nature of textile manufacturing combined with the cross-disciplinary work of fiber, chemistry, and machinery. You'll typically coordinate across operations, materials, and quality teams, where careful work shapes both product performance and production efficiency.

People who tend to thrive here are technically rigorous, comfortable in industrial textile environments, and skilled at the practical side of process engineering. The trade-off is the cyclical nature of textile manufacturing and the cumulative pressure of work where production volume and product performance both matter. If you find satisfaction in engineering textiles that perform as intended, the role can be a strong niche in materials and manufacturing engineering.

RecognitionAbove avg
AchievementAbove avg
IndependenceAbove avg
Working ConditionsAbove avg
RelationshipsModerate
SupportModerate
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Textile Engineers (SOC 17-2141.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Exploring the Textile Engineer career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$69K–$161K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
287K
U.S. Employment
+9.1%
10yr Growth
18K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$77K$74K$71K$68K$65K201920202021202220232024$65K$77K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionMathematicsComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingScienceOperations AnalysisActive LearningSpeaking
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
17-2141.00

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.