Sewing machine operators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,860 | $13.39 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $36,670 | $17.63 |
| Mean (average) | $37,600 | $18.08 |
| 90th percentile | $47,840 | $23.00 |
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
Sewing machine operators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $30,830 | $23,830 | $41,330 | 2,300 | 1.61 |
| Alaska | $43,850 | $34,750 | $64,850 | 40 | 0.19 |
| Arizona | $40,210 | $34,690 | $47,310 | 1,420 | 0.65 |
| Arkansas | $35,630 | $27,810 | $45,660 | 860 | 0.98 |
| California | $37,940 | $34,950 | $49,040 | 13,240 | 1.08 |
| Colorado | $43,840 | $35,250 | $55,050 | 970 | 0.5 |
| Connecticut | $37,780 | $34,010 | $47,260 | 480 | 0.42 |
| Delaware | $37,690 | $31,200 | $47,330 | 60 | 0.19 |
| Florida | $33,270 | $27,360 | $46,230 | 6,790 | 1.01 |
| Georgia | $34,790 | $26,950 | $42,100 | 3,420 | 1.04 |
| Hawaii | $39,230 | $32,210 | $60,810 | 280 | 0.66 |
| Idaho | $37,160 | $28,790 | $49,280 | 410 | 0.71 |
| Illinois | $36,220 | $33,060 | $46,720 | 4,060 | 0.99 |
| Indiana | $38,440 | $30,060 | $51,180 | 3,400 | 1.58 |
| Iowa | $35,870 | $28,890 | $47,270 | 590 | 0.56 |
| Kansas | $35,360 | $28,380 | $46,070 | 650 | 0.67 |
| Kentucky | $29,460 | $22,350 | $39,880 | 2,750 | 2.04 |
| Louisiana | $29,600 | $21,180 | $38,100 | 610 | 0.47 |
| Maine | $43,520 | $32,760 | $49,460 | 700 | 1.63 |
| Maryland | $35,860 | $31,200 | $55,390 | 1,390 | 0.75 |
| Massachusetts | $42,910 | $35,580 | $53,990 | 1,540 | 0.63 |
| Michigan | $37,490 | $30,200 | $46,790 | 3,210 | 1.08 |
| Minnesota | $38,930 | $33,940 | $51,910 | 1,890 | 0.95 |
| Mississippi | $37,600 | $26,840 | $44,220 | 2,270 | 2.89 |
| Missouri | $35,610 | $29,550 | $43,240 | 2,320 | 1.17 |
| Montana | $36,740 | $24,290 | $50,370 | 190 | 0.54 |
| Nebraska | $37,060 | $29,610 | $44,450 | 300 | 0.44 |
| Nevada | $45,750 | $30,730 | $55,550 | 910 | 0.87 |
| New Hampshire | $41,740 | $28,850 | $56,380 | 190 | 0.41 |
| New Jersey | $36,130 | $32,220 | $46,170 | 2,750 | 0.95 |
| New Mexico | $34,840 | $28,620 | $42,240 | 220 | 0.37 |
| New York | $38,480 | $33,790 | $55,290 | 6,130 | 0.94 |
| North Carolina | $35,160 | $26,560 | $48,570 | 8,290 | 2.49 |
| North Dakota | $35,700 | $27,950 | $55,080 | 110 | 0.37 |
| Ohio | $35,760 | $29,530 | $43,890 | 4,100 | 1.1 |
| Oklahoma | $33,340 | $23,850 | $44,350 | 580 | 0.5 |
| Oregon | $39,780 | $33,770 | $51,260 | 1,250 | 0.94 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,640 | $28,340 | $45,510 | 3,390 | 0.83 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 | $21,840 | $22,550 | 5,410 | 8.55 |
| Rhode Island | $38,670 | $31,200 | $51,180 | 270 | 0.8 |
| South Carolina | $38,250 | $26,690 | $47,210 | 2,460 | 1.58 |
| South Dakota | $39,000 | $28,350 | $47,030 | 300 | 0.96 |
| Tennessee | $34,220 | $19,130 | $46,800 | 3,300 | 1.49 |
| Texas | $31,000 | $21,420 | $44,290 | 6,950 | 0.73 |
| Utah | $35,550 | $29,870 | $45,590 | 1,020 | 0.87 |
| Vermont | $40,850 | $29,140 | $51,630 | 220 | 1.09 |
| Virginia | $35,790 | $27,470 | $46,760 | 2,010 | 0.72 |
| Washington | $43,360 | $37,180 | $50,180 | 1,600 | 0.67 |
| West Virginia | $29,320 | $21,960 | $44,780 | 180 | 0.38 |
| Wisconsin | $40,370 | $30,860 | $50,080 | 2,370 | 1.19 |
| Wyoming | $36,510 | $30,440 | $46,610 | 110 | 0.59 |
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 sewing machine operators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 9,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 11.3%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for sewing machine operators
- 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
- Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.
- Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.
- Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
- Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
- Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.
- Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match.
- Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections.
- Cut excess material or thread from finished products.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Email software
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Operations Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Operation and Control.
Common job titles: Line Closer, Machine Operator, Prototype Sewer, Sample Maker, Seamer, Seamstress, Sew On Operator, Sewer, Sewing Machine Operator, Zipper Machine Operator.
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 sewing machine operators make?
The national median annual wage for sewing machine operators was $36,670 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $27,860 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $47,840. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do sewing machine operators 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 sewing machine operators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of sewing machine operators to change -15.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 9,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay sewing machine operators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Nevada ($45,750), Alaska ($43,850), Colorado ($43,840). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.