Sewing Machine Operator salary in the U.S.
Sewing Machine Operators in the U.S. earn a median of $36,670 a year ($17.63 an hour), based on BLS data for 104,880 workers.
Pay ranges from $27,860 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,840 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $37,600, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for sewing machine operators in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,860 | $13.39 |
| 25th percentile | $31,960 | $15.37 |
| Median | $36,670 | $17.63 |
| 75th percentile | $42,830 | $20.59 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,840 | $23.00 |
| Average (mean) | $37,600 | $18.08 |
Half of sewing machine operators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,055.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,527.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,410.38 |
| Weekly | $705.19 |
| Hourly | $17.63 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Sewing Machine Operator salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $45,750 | 910 |
| Alaska | $43,850 | 40 |
| Colorado | $43,840 | 970 |
| Maine | $43,520 | 700 |
| Washington | $43,360 | 1,600 |
| Massachusetts | $42,910 | 1,540 |
| New Hampshire | $41,740 | 190 |
| Vermont | $40,850 | 220 |
| Wisconsin | $40,370 | 2,370 |
| Arizona | $40,210 | 1,420 |
| Oregon | $39,780 | 1,250 |
| Hawaii | $39,230 | 280 |
| South Dakota | $39,000 | 300 |
| Minnesota | $38,930 | 1,890 |
| Rhode Island | $38,670 | 270 |
| New York | $38,480 | 6,130 |
| Indiana | $38,440 | 3,400 |
| South Carolina | $38,250 | 2,460 |
| California | $37,940 | 13,240 |
| Connecticut | $37,780 | 480 |
| Delaware | $37,690 | 60 |
| Mississippi | $37,600 | 2,270 |
| Michigan | $37,490 | 3,210 |
| Idaho | $37,160 | 410 |
| Nebraska | $37,060 | 300 |
| Montana | $36,740 | 190 |
| Wyoming | $36,510 | 110 |
| Illinois | $36,220 | 4,060 |
| New Jersey | $36,130 | 2,750 |
| Iowa | $35,870 | 590 |
| Maryland | $35,860 | 1,390 |
| Virginia | $35,790 | 2,010 |
| Ohio | $35,760 | 4,100 |
| North Dakota | $35,700 | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,640 | 3,390 |
| Arkansas | $35,630 | 860 |
| Missouri | $35,610 | 2,320 |
| Utah | $35,550 | 1,020 |
| Kansas | $35,360 | 650 |
| North Carolina | $35,160 | 8,290 |
| New Mexico | $34,840 | 220 |
| Georgia | $34,790 | 3,420 |
| Tennessee | $34,220 | 3,300 |
| Oklahoma | $33,340 | 580 |
| Florida | $33,270 | 6,790 |
| Texas | $31,000 | 6,950 |
| Alabama | $30,830 | 2,300 |
| Louisiana | $29,600 | 610 |
| Kentucky | $29,460 | 2,750 |
| West Virginia | $29,320 | 180 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 | 5,410 |
Best-paying metro areas for sewing machine operators
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Bend, OR | $50,830 | 50 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $50,000 | 40 |
| Appleton, WI | $48,460 | 110 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $48,190 | 460 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $47,220 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,220 | 220 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $46,540 | 1,860 |
| Bangor, ME | $46,060 | 70 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $45,210 | 530 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $45,160 | 240 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $44,880 | 740 |
| Columbia, SC | $44,810 | 390 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $44,670 | 160 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $44,350 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,350 | 1,060 |
Metro areas with the most sewing machine operators
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 9,310 | $37,130 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,700 | $37,780 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,680 | $30,620 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,450 | $36,220 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,420 | $35,260 |
| Mayaguez, PR | 2,370 | $21,840 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 1,860 | $46,540 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,640 | $34,940 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 1,460 | $32,470 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,400 | $35,360 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,360 | $36,720 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,270 | $33,530 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,200 | $40,910 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,150 | $38,130 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,130 | $42,300 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $34,890 | $16.78 |
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $35,060 | $16.85 |
| Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,670 | $18.59 |
| Upholsterer | $46,340 | $22.28 |
| Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $41,640 | $20.02 |
| Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other | $37,280 | $17.93 |
| Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $39,530 | $19.01 |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | $46,350 | $22.29 |
| Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,760 | $18.64 |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $37,800 | $18.17 |
| Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $38,180 | $18.36 |
| Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | $35,650 | $17.14 |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $62,750 | $30.17 |
| Sewers, Hand | $36,480 | $17.54 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-6031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a sewing machine operator make in the U.S.?
The median salary for sewing machine operators in the U.S. is $36,670 a year, or $17.63 an hour. Pay ranges from $27,860 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,840 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid sewing machine operators make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of sewing machine operators in the U.S. earn at least $47,840 a year. The top 25% earn $42,830 or more.
What is the starting pay for sewing machine operators in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $27,860 a year, and a quarter of sewing machine operators earn $31,960 or less.
How many sewing machine operators work in the U.S.?
About 104,880 sewing machine operators are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.