Production · Holland code RC
Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers
Shape molten glass according to patterns.
Also called: Glass Artist, Glass Bender, Glassblower, Neon Glass Bender, Bender, Gaffer, Glass Block Bender, Glass Lathe Operator.
O*NET 51-9195.04
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $46,170
- Middle half earn $39,280 to $53,000. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Monitoring3.1 / 5
- Active Listening3.0 / 5
- Speaking3.0 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
- Reading Comprehension2.9 / 5
- Writing2.9 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service3.8 / 5
- Design3.6 / 5
- Production and Processing3.5 / 5
- Chemistry3.3 / 5
- Engineering and Technology3.1 / 5
- Mechanical3.0 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic97
- Investigative25
- Artistic8
- Social0
- Enterprising8
- Conventional69
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- glass artist · DE Kunstglaser/Kunstglaserin · FR vitrailliste
- plate glass installer · DE Bauglaser/Bauglaserin · FR monteur techniverrier/monteuse techniverrière
- glass-blower · DE Glasbläser/Glasbläserin · FR souffleur de verre/souffleuse de verre
- glass beveller · DE Glaser/Glaserin · FR biseauteur de verre/biseauteuse de verre
- glass painter · DE Glasmaler/Glasmalerin · FR peintre sur verre
- glass engraver · DE Glasveredler – Schliff und Gravur/Glasveredlerin – Schliff und Gravur · FR graveur sur verre/graveuse sur verre
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters (5317)33,400 employed
- Artists (3411)64,500 employed
- Glass and ceramics makers, decorators and finishers (5441)19,400 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Plant and machine operators and assemblers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €39,630 |
| Netherlands | €37,567 |
| Austria | €37,304 |
| Sweden | €36,005 |
| Germany | €34,433 |
| Ireland | €32,617 |
| France | €28,550 |
| Italy | €28,330 |
| Spain | €24,409 |
| Portugal | €11,309 |
| Poland | €10,259 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.18. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-9195).
Related careers
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Tool and Die Makers
Is it a fit for you?
Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.
Take the career interests test