Sewers, Hand
Sewers, Hand (SOC 51-6051) earn a median $36,480 a year ($17.54 an hour) in the United States, with 2,190 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Colorado.
What sewers, hand do
Hand sewers join, reinforce, or finish items with needle and thread. The articles include garments, mattresses, toys, wigs, and books, and the SOC definition also lists weavers and stitchers. The worker chooses the thread, twine, cord, or yarn that suits the item and threads the needle, then measures and aligns the parts, fasteners, or trims along the seams, edges, or markings. Stitches vary with the job: felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting are among the techniques. Excess thread and edges are cut away with scissors or knives. Beadwork and alterations also appear among the job titles O*NET lists. It differs from custom tailoring in that custom tailoring involves designing, fitting, and making a garment for an individual customer, which is not the work of the hand sewer.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, less than a high school diploma is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Alteration Specialist, Apparel Specialist, Bale Sewer, Baseball Hand Sewer, Beadworker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.31 | $16.03 | $17.54 | $19.58 | $22.87 | $17.89 | 2,190 |
| Annual | $27,680 | $33,330 | $36,480 | $40,720 | $47,570 | $37,210 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where sewers, hand earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $18.00 | $20.12 | $22.88 | $23.35 | $24.65 | $22.21 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $37,430 | $41,850 | $47,600 | $48,580 | $51,260 | $46,200 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $19.23 | $20.00 | $21.72 | $21.72 | $21.73 | $20.77 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $40,000 | $41,600 | $45,170 | $45,170 | $45,200 | $43,200 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.52 | $16.76 | $20.40 | $25.10 | $25.39 | $20.74 | 110 | 0.01 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $34,360 | $34,850 | $42,420 | $52,200 | $52,800 | $43,140 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $18.23 | $19.02 | $20.33 | $21.50 | $22.13 | $20.07 | 40 | 0.03 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $37,920 | $39,570 | $42,290 | $44,730 | $46,020 | $41,750 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $12.20 | $19.03 | $19.08 | $20.00 | $20.29 | $18.46 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $25,380 | $39,580 | $39,690 | $41,600 | $42,200 | $38,390 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $8.36 | $9.96 | $14.10 | $18.25 | $21.68 | $14.70 | 240 | 0.02 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $17,380 | $20,710 | $29,320 | $37,970 | $45,100 | $30,580 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $14.97 | $16.26 | $17.09 | $17.09 | $17.09 | $16.74 | 230 | 0.04 | 2.64 |
| Annual | $31,130 | $33,830 | $35,560 | $35,560 | $35,560 | $34,820 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $14.22 | $14.22 | $18.50 | $19.62 | $22.86 | $17.98 | 140 | 0.01 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $29,570 | $29,570 | $38,480 | $40,810 | $47,540 | $37,400 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $16.24 | $17.01 | $18.37 | $22.18 | $22.67 | $18.82 | 120 | 0.03 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $33,790 | $35,380 | $38,210 | $46,140 | $47,160 | $39,140 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.55 | $17.55 | $17.97 | $18.95 | $21.97 | $18.84 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $36,510 | $36,510 | $37,380 | $39,420 | $45,690 | $39,200 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $18.59 | $22.88 | $23.35 | $23.35 | $26.14 | $22.83 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $38,670 | $47,600 | $48,580 | $48,580 | $54,380 | $47,480 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.50 | $16.76 | $23.34 | $25.39 | $25.39 | $21.62 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $34,320 | $34,850 | $48,540 | $52,800 | $52,800 | $44,960 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $18.37 | $18.37 | $22.18 | $22.19 | $22.67 | $20.58 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $38,210 | $38,220 | $46,140 | $46,140 | $47,160 | $42,810 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.50 | $17.55 | $17.97 | $18.95 | $21.84 | $18.73 | 140 | 0.01 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $36,510 | $37,380 | $39,420 | $45,430 | $38,960 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.53 | $17.53 | $17.54 | $21.36 | $21.58 | $19.53 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $36,450 | $36,450 | $36,480 | $44,420 | $44,880 | $40,620 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.50 | $17.55 | $17.97 | $18.95 | $21.84 | $18.73 | 140 | 0.01 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $36,510 | $37,380 | $39,420 | $45,430 | $38,960 | ||||
Top industries employing sewers, hand
Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing employ 21.5% of sewers, hand nationally (470 jobs) at a median $36,480 a year ($17.54 an hour), followed by Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (10.0%) and Printing and Related Support Activities (8.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing NAICS 315200 | 470 | 21.5% | $36,480 | $17.54 |
| Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers NAICS 458100 | 220 | 10.0% | $39,440 | $18.96 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities NAICS 323100 | 180 | 8.2% | $35,190 | $16.92 |
| Other Textile Product Mills NAICS 314900 | 100 | 4.6% | $34,840 | $16.75 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing NAICS 339900 | 70 | 3.2% | $35,860 | $17.24 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (2,190). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,930 for sewers, hand in May 2021 and $36,480 in May 2025, with employment of 4,170 and 2,190.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,930 | $14.39 | 4,170 |
| May 2022 | $31,530 | $15.16 | 3,440 |
| May 2023 | $32,240 | $15.50 | 3,390 |
| May 2024 | $33,760 | $16.23 | 2,240 |
| May 2025 | $36,480 | $17.54 | 2,190 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
18 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado profile | $22.88 | $47,600 | $37,430 | $51,260 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | Washington profile | $21.72 | $45,170 | $40,000 | $45,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | California profile | $20.40 | $42,420 | $34,360 | $52,800 | 110 | 0.01 | 0.44 |
| 4 | Iowa profile | $20.33 | $42,290 | $37,920 | $46,020 | 40 | 0.03 | 1.95 |
| 5 | South Carolina profile | $19.08 | $39,690 | $25,380 | $42,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Nevada profile | $18.96 | $39,440 | $38,420 | $52,000 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $18.60 | $38,680 | $31,200 | $53,080 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.88 |
| 8 | Florida profile | $18.50 | $38,480 | $29,570 | $47,540 | 140 | 0.01 | 0.98 |
| 9 | Georgia profile | $18.37 | $38,210 | $33,790 | $47,160 | 120 | 0.03 | 1.76 |
| 10 | New York profile | $17.97 | $37,380 | $36,510 | $45,690 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.86 |
| 11 | North Carolina profile | $17.57 | $36,550 | $27,830 | $39,720 | 70 | 0.01 | 1.00 |
| 12 | Illinois profile | $17.54 | $36,480 | $36,430 | $44,880 | ** | ** | ** |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $17.50 | $36,400 | $34,980 | $40,280 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.60 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.09 | $35,560 | $31,130 | $35,560 | 230 | 0.04 | 2.64 |
| 15 | Indiana profile | $16.54 | $34,410 | $28,750 | $43,720 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | Texas profile | $14.10 | $29,320 | $17,380 | $45,100 | 240 | 0.02 | 1.19 |
| 17 | Louisiana profile | $13.00 | $27,040 | $27,040 | $34,900 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Mississippi profile | * | * | * | * | 100 | 0.09 | 6.08 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-6050), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-6051 Sewers, Hand.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-6051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-6051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.