Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,180 | $13.07 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $35,060 | $16.85 |
| Mean (average) | $34,640 | $16.65 |
| 90th percentile | $43,050 | $20.70 |
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
Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 45 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $26,860 | $23,660 | $35,180 | 390 | 1.1 |
| Arizona | $36,870 | $32,050 | $44,140 | 360 | 0.67 |
| Arkansas | $29,880 | $28,490 | $33,970 | 470 | 2.16 |
| California | $39,300 | $36,570 | $45,100 | 3,850 | 1.26 |
| Colorado | $38,300 | $35,550 | $39,440 | 320 | 0.65 |
| Connecticut | $36,030 | $34,570 | $43,770 | 740 | 2.58 |
| Florida | $31,760 | $29,000 | $35,660 | 2,130 | 1.28 |
| Georgia | $33,010 | $22,610 | $37,210 | 1,010 | 1.22 |
| Hawaii | $35,980 | $30,570 | $40,870 | 90 | 0.9 |
| Idaho | $35,990 | $25,010 | $55,830 | 110 | 0.77 |
| Illinois | $40,230 | $33,610 | $71,750 | ||
| Indiana | $28,840 | $26,090 | $37,310 | 410 | 0.76 |
| Iowa | $32,990 | $21,890 | $34,120 | 100 | 0.39 |
| Kansas | $29,110 | $26,840 | $31,840 | 150 | 0.62 |
| Kentucky | $31,200 | $24,420 | $35,790 | 530 | 1.58 |
| Louisiana | $27,170 | $23,150 | $30,230 | 190 | 0.6 |
| Maine | $38,020 | $33,390 | $41,850 | 60 | 0.51 |
| Maryland | $34,390 | $31,200 | $38,850 | 480 | 1.03 |
| Massachusetts | $36,410 | $34,000 | $43,750 | 470 | 0.77 |
| Michigan | $36,290 | $27,230 | $44,750 | 300 | 0.4 |
| Mississippi | $27,180 | $22,930 | $33,700 | 400 | 2.03 |
| Missouri | $30,520 | $28,600 | $40,000 | 330 | 0.67 |
| Montana | $35,270 | $30,320 | $39,810 | 30 | 0.36 |
| Nebraska | $33,300 | $28,080 | $35,880 | 170 | 1.01 |
| Nevada | $35,560 | $31,360 | $37,490 | 820 | 3.13 |
| New Hampshire | $38,540 | $29,970 | $39,410 | 100 | 0.91 |
| New Jersey | $37,920 | $33,330 | $48,430 | 870 | 1.2 |
| New Mexico | $28,730 | $25,570 | $40,200 | 110 | 0.78 |
| New York | $36,510 | $34,200 | $45,300 | 1,730 | 1.07 |
| North Carolina | $29,300 | $23,230 | $36,030 | 550 | 0.67 |
| Ohio | $30,820 | $27,840 | $36,950 | 810 | 0.87 |
| Oklahoma | $28,340 | $23,860 | $34,250 | 330 | 1.14 |
| Oregon | $36,860 | $35,240 | $46,970 | 230 | 0.69 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,880 | $27,220 | $37,390 | 700 | 0.68 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,980 | $21,840 | $24,500 | 220 | 1.41 |
| Rhode Island | $36,390 | $33,170 | $37,720 | 170 | 2.06 |
| South Carolina | $29,160 | $19,480 | $35,520 | 220 | 0.56 |
| Tennessee | $29,460 | $24,660 | $45,220 | 410 | 0.75 |
| Texas | $29,680 | $22,560 | $38,430 | 3,490 | 1.48 |
| Utah | $35,320 | $30,700 | $37,400 | 320 | 1.1 |
| Virginia | $31,220 | $28,000 | $35,810 | 720 | 1.04 |
| Washington | $37,620 | $35,820 | $46,280 | 460 | 0.77 |
| West Virginia | $28,400 | $23,140 | $30,880 | 70 | 0.57 |
| Wisconsin | $35,500 | $31,200 | $42,630 | 350 | 0.7 |
| Wyoming | $30,460 | $29,030 | $47,240 | 50 | 1.11 |
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 pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for pressers, textile, garment, and related materials
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-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
- Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
- Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
- Straighten, smooth, or shape materials to prepare them for pressing.
- Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.
- Finish pleated garments, determining sizes of pleats from evidence of old pleats or from work orders, using machine presses or hand irons.
- Lower irons, rams, or pressing heads of machines into position over material to be pressed.
- Identify and treat spots on garments.
- Shrink, stretch, or block articles by hand to conform to original measurements, using forms, blocks, and steam.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Email software
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting.
Common job titles: Boarder, Dry Cleaner Presser, Garment Presser, Ironing Machine Operator, Ironing Worker, Pants Presser, Presser, Pressing Machine Operator, Shirt Presser, Silk Presser.
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 pressers, textile, garment, and related materials make?
The national median annual wage for pressers, textile, garment, and related materials was $35,060 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $27,180 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $43,050. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do pressers, textile, garment, and related materials need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is pressers, textile, garment, and related materials a growing career?
BLS projects employment of pressers, textile, garment, and related materials to change -15.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay pressers, textile, garment, and related materials the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Illinois ($40,230), California ($39,300), New Hampshire ($38,540). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.