How to become a Glass Blower, Molder, Bender or Finisher

Official title: Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers

Also called: Bender, Gaffer, Glass Artist, Glass Bender, Glass Block Bender, Glass Lathe Operator, Glass Worker, Glassblower, Neon Glass Bender, Neon Pumper

Shape molten glass according to patterns.

Main tasks

• Heat glass to pliable stage, using gas flames or ovens and rotating glass to heat it uniformly.
• Shape, bend, or join sections of glass, using paddles, pressing and flattening hand tools, or cork.
• Blow tubing into specified shapes to prevent glass from collapsing, using compressed air or own breath, or blow and rotate gathers in molds or on boards to obtain final shapes.
• Cut lengths of tubing to specified sizes, using files or cutting wheels.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure products to verify conformance to specifications, using instruments such as micrometers, calipers, magnifiers, or rulers.
• Develop sketches of glass products into blueprint specifications, applying knowledge of glass technology and glass blowing.
• Record manufacturing information, such as quantities, sizes, or types of goods produced.
• Determine types and quantities of glass required to fabricate products.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Glass Bender (Fab Nec).
• Apprenticeship: Glass Blower.
• Apprenticeship: Glass Blower, Lab Apparatus.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $46,170 a year The middle half earn $39,280 to $53,000.
• About 43,000 people work in this job now, and about 45,500 are projected by 2035. (+5.8%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
• Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
• Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
• Etchers and Engravers
• Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
• Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Glass Blower, Molder, Bender or Finisher?

Ways in include: Glass Bender (Fab Nec).

How much does a Glass Blower, Molder, Bender or Finisher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $46,170 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $39,280 to $53,000.

Is a Glass Blower, Molder, Bender or Finisher a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 43,000 to about 45,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Glass Blower, Molder, Bender or Finisher?

Usually not. Only 19% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Glass Bender (Fab Nec).

Will AI change the work of a Glass Blower, Molder, Bender or Finisher?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the 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.