Sewing Machine Operators
Sewing Machine Operators (SOC 51-6031) earn a median $36,670 a year ($17.63 an hour) in the United States, with 104,880 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Nevada.
What sewing machine operators do
Sewing machine operators join, reinforce, or decorate fabric and other flexible materials by machine, in the manufacture of garment and nongarment products. The operator loads spools and bobbins, threads the machine through its guides, and positions the cloth under the needle using marks, templates, or clamps, then guides pieces through while watching for skipped stitches, thread breaks, or mechanical trouble. Pieces are matched in the proper order, with attention that dye lots and patterns correspond. Edges or lengths of items may be folded or stretched while sewing, finished items are removed from the machines, and excess material or thread is trimmed away. Sewing machine operators are separate from hand sewers, who join items with needle and thread, and from tailors, who fit garments for individual customers.
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: Appliquer, Apron Operator, Armhole Sewer, Automat Watcher, Automatic Hemmer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.39 | $15.37 | $17.63 | $20.59 | $23.00 | $18.08 | 104,880 |
| Annual | $27,860 | $31,960 | $36,670 | $42,830 | $47,840 | $37,600 | ||
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 sewing machine operators 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 | ||||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $14.78 | $17.83 | $21.99 | $26.38 | $26.71 | $21.44 | 910 | 0.59 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $30,730 | $37,080 | $45,750 | $54,870 | $55,550 | $44,590 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $16.71 | $17.65 | $21.08 | $27.35 | $31.18 | $22.26 | 40 | 0.13 | 0.19 |
| Annual | $34,750 | $36,710 | $43,850 | $56,900 | $64,850 | $46,300 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $16.95 | $18.23 | $21.08 | $22.94 | $26.47 | $21.01 | 970 | 0.34 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $35,250 | $37,920 | $43,840 | $47,720 | $55,050 | $43,690 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $15.75 | $18.40 | $20.92 | $22.66 | $23.78 | $20.41 | 700 | 1.10 | 1.63 |
| Annual | $32,760 | $38,270 | $43,520 | $47,130 | $49,460 | $42,450 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.88 | $18.81 | $20.85 | $22.34 | $24.12 | $21.02 | 1,600 | 0.45 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $37,180 | $39,130 | $43,360 | $46,470 | $50,180 | $43,720 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.80 | $17.49 | $18.24 | $21.29 | $23.58 | $19.74 | 13,240 | 0.73 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $34,950 | $36,380 | $37,940 | $44,280 | $49,040 | $41,060 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $12.77 | $13.91 | $16.91 | $19.30 | $23.35 | $17.43 | 8,290 | 1.68 | 2.49 |
| Annual | $26,560 | $28,940 | $35,160 | $40,150 | $48,570 | $36,250 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.30 | $12.60 | $14.90 | $17.98 | $21.29 | $15.59 | 6,950 | 0.49 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $21,420 | $26,200 | $31,000 | $37,400 | $44,290 | $32,430 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.15 | $13.60 | $16.00 | $17.67 | $22.23 | $16.71 | 6,790 | 0.68 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $27,360 | $28,290 | $33,270 | $36,750 | $46,230 | $34,750 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.25 | $17.69 | $18.50 | $21.98 | $26.58 | $20.16 | 6,130 | 0.63 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $33,790 | $36,790 | $38,480 | $45,730 | $55,290 | $41,930 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bend, OR | Hourly | $18.04 | $20.15 | $24.44 | $24.64 | $24.64 | $23.07 | 50 | 0.47 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $37,520 | $41,920 | $50,830 | $51,260 | $51,260 | $47,980 | ||||
| Glens Falls, NY | Hourly | $15.50 | $18.78 | $24.04 | $24.04 | $24.04 | $21.84 | 40 | 0.89 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $39,050 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $45,430 | ||||
| Appleton, WI | Hourly | $17.50 | $18.38 | $23.30 | $31.30 | $31.31 | $24.92 | 110 | 0.89 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $38,230 | $48,460 | $65,110 | $65,110 | $51,830 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $14.12 | $17.44 | $23.17 | $26.47 | $26.71 | $21.92 | 460 | 0.41 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $29,370 | $36,270 | $48,190 | $55,050 | $55,550 | $45,580 | ||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $17.04 | $19.44 | $22.70 | $22.70 | $24.89 | $21.31 | 50 | 0.51 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $35,430 | $40,440 | $47,220 | $47,220 | $51,770 | $44,320 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.78 | $17.46 | $17.85 | $20.79 | $23.31 | $19.40 | 9,310 | 1.48 | 2.20 |
| Annual | $34,910 | $36,310 | $37,130 | $43,250 | $48,490 | $40,340 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.25 | $17.45 | $18.16 | $21.58 | $24.69 | $19.79 | 6,700 | 0.71 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $33,790 | $36,290 | $37,780 | $44,880 | $51,360 | $41,160 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $13.15 | $13.58 | $14.72 | $17.09 | $21.10 | $15.88 | 3,680 | 1.31 | 1.94 |
| Annual | $27,360 | $28,250 | $30,620 | $35,560 | $43,880 | $33,040 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $16.45 | $16.95 | $17.41 | $20.76 | $22.65 | $18.76 | 3,450 | 0.76 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $34,210 | $35,260 | $36,220 | $43,170 | $47,100 | $39,020 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $12.59 | $14.40 | $16.95 | $18.84 | $21.60 | $16.92 | 2,420 | 0.60 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $26,200 | $29,950 | $35,260 | $39,180 | $44,920 | $35,190 | ||||
Top industries employing sewing machine operators
Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing employ 20.0% of sewing machine operators nationally (20,940 jobs) at a median $36,380 a year ($17.49 an hour), followed by Other Textile Product Mills (17.1%) and Textile Furnishings Mills (5.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing NAICS 315200 | 20,940 | 20.0% | $36,380 | $17.49 |
| Other Textile Product Mills NAICS 314900 | 17,920 | 17.1% | $36,610 | $17.60 |
| Textile Furnishings Mills NAICS 314100 | 5,730 | 5.5% | $35,840 | $17.23 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 5,450 | 5.2% | $40,870 | $19.65 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities NAICS 323100 | 5,440 | 5.2% | $37,230 | $17.90 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (104,880). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,690 for sewing machine operators in May 2021 and $36,670 in May 2025, with employment of 116,220 and 104,880.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,690 | $14.27 | 116,220 |
| May 2022 | $31,740 | $15.26 | 116,750 |
| May 2023 | $34,440 | $16.56 | 116,130 |
| May 2024 | $36,000 | $17.31 | 109,590 |
| May 2025 | $36,670 | $17.63 | 104,880 |
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
50 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 | Nevada profile | $21.99 | $45,750 | $30,730 | $55,550 | 910 | 0.59 | 0.87 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $21.08 | $43,850 | $34,750 | $64,850 | 40 | 0.13 | 0.19 |
| 3 | Colorado profile | $21.08 | $43,840 | $35,250 | $55,050 | 970 | 0.34 | 0.50 |
| 4 | Maine profile | $20.92 | $43,520 | $32,760 | $49,460 | 700 | 1.10 | 1.63 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $20.85 | $43,360 | $37,180 | $50,180 | 1,600 | 0.45 | 0.67 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $20.63 | $42,910 | $35,580 | $53,990 | 1,540 | 0.42 | 0.63 |
| 7 | New Hampshire profile | $20.07 | $41,740 | $28,850 | $56,380 | 190 | 0.27 | 0.41 |
| 8 | Vermont profile | $19.64 | $40,850 | $29,140 | $51,630 | 220 | 0.74 | 1.09 |
| 9 | Wisconsin profile | $19.41 | $40,370 | $30,860 | $50,080 | 2,370 | 0.81 | 1.19 |
| 10 | Arizona profile | $19.33 | $40,210 | $34,690 | $47,310 | 1,420 | 0.44 | 0.65 |
| 11 | Oregon profile | $19.12 | $39,780 | $33,770 | $51,260 | 1,250 | 0.64 | 0.94 |
| 12 | Hawaii profile | $18.86 | $39,230 | $32,210 | $60,810 | 280 | 0.45 | 0.66 |
| 13 | South Dakota profile | $18.75 | $39,000 | $28,350 | $47,030 | 300 | 0.65 | 0.96 |
| 14 | Minnesota profile | $18.72 | $38,930 | $33,940 | $51,910 | 1,890 | 0.64 | 0.95 |
| 15 | Rhode Island profile | $18.59 | $38,670 | $31,200 | $51,180 | 270 | 0.54 | 0.80 |
| 16 | New York profile | $18.50 | $38,480 | $33,790 | $55,290 | 6,130 | 0.63 | 0.94 |
| 17 | Indiana profile | $18.48 | $38,440 | $30,060 | $51,180 | 3,400 | 1.06 | 1.58 |
| 18 | South Carolina profile | $18.39 | $38,250 | $26,690 | $47,210 | 2,460 | 1.07 | 1.58 |
| 19 | California profile | $18.24 | $37,940 | $34,950 | $49,040 | 13,240 | 0.73 | 1.08 |
| 20 | Connecticut profile | $18.16 | $37,780 | $34,010 | $47,260 | 480 | 0.28 | 0.42 |
| 21 | Delaware profile | $18.12 | $37,690 | $31,200 | $47,330 | 60 | 0.13 | 0.19 |
| 22 | Mississippi profile | $18.08 | $37,600 | $26,840 | $44,220 | 2,270 | 1.95 | 2.89 |
| 23 | Michigan profile | $18.02 | $37,490 | $30,200 | $46,790 | 3,210 | 0.73 | 1.08 |
| 24 | Idaho profile | $17.87 | $37,160 | $28,790 | $49,280 | 410 | 0.48 | 0.71 |
| 25 | Nebraska profile | $17.82 | $37,060 | $29,610 | $44,450 | 300 | 0.30 | 0.44 |
| 26 | Montana profile | $17.66 | $36,740 | $24,290 | $50,370 | 190 | 0.36 | 0.54 |
| 27 | Wyoming profile | $17.55 | $36,510 | $30,440 | $46,610 | 110 | 0.40 | 0.59 |
| 28 | Illinois profile | $17.41 | $36,220 | $33,060 | $46,720 | 4,060 | 0.67 | 0.99 |
| 29 | New Jersey profile | $17.37 | $36,130 | $32,220 | $46,170 | 2,750 | 0.64 | 0.95 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | $17.25 | $35,870 | $28,890 | $47,270 | 590 | 0.38 | 0.56 |
| 31 | Maryland profile | $17.24 | $35,860 | $31,200 | $55,390 | 1,390 | 0.50 | 0.75 |
| 32 | Virginia profile | $17.21 | $35,790 | $27,470 | $46,760 | 2,010 | 0.49 | 0.72 |
| 33 | Ohio profile | $17.19 | $35,760 | $29,530 | $43,890 | 4,100 | 0.74 | 1.10 |
| 34 | North Dakota profile | $17.16 | $35,700 | $27,950 | $55,080 | 110 | 0.25 | 0.37 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.13 | $35,640 | $28,340 | $45,510 | 3,390 | 0.56 | 0.83 |
| 36 | Arkansas profile | $17.13 | $35,630 | $27,810 | $45,660 | 860 | 0.66 | 0.98 |
| 37 | Missouri profile | $17.12 | $35,610 | $29,550 | $43,240 | 2,320 | 0.79 | 1.17 |
| 38 | Utah profile | $17.09 | $35,550 | $29,870 | $45,590 | 1,020 | 0.59 | 0.87 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | $17.00 | $35,360 | $28,380 | $46,070 | 650 | 0.46 | 0.67 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | $16.91 | $35,160 | $26,560 | $48,570 | 8,290 | 1.68 | 2.49 |
| 41 | New Mexico profile | $16.75 | $34,840 | $28,620 | $42,240 | 220 | 0.25 | 0.37 |
| 42 | Georgia profile | $16.72 | $34,790 | $26,950 | $42,100 | 3,420 | 0.70 | 1.04 |
| 43 | Tennessee profile | $16.45 | $34,220 | $19,130 | $46,800 | 3,300 | 1.01 | 1.49 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $16.03 | $33,340 | $23,850 | $44,350 | 580 | 0.34 | 0.50 |
| 45 | Florida profile | $16.00 | $33,270 | $27,360 | $46,230 | 6,790 | 0.68 | 1.01 |
| 46 | Texas profile | $14.90 | $31,000 | $21,420 | $44,290 | 6,950 | 0.49 | 0.73 |
| 47 | Alabama profile | $14.82 | $30,830 | $23,830 | $41,330 | 2,300 | 1.09 | 1.61 |
| 48 | Louisiana profile | $14.23 | $29,600 | $21,180 | $38,100 | 610 | 0.32 | 0.47 |
| 49 | Kentucky profile | $14.17 | $29,460 | $22,350 | $39,880 | 2,750 | 1.37 | 2.04 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $14.10 | $29,320 | $21,960 | $44,780 | 180 | 0.26 | 0.38 |
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 51-6031 Sewing Machine Operators.
- 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 51-6031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-6031.00, 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.