Sewing Machine Operator salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Sewing Machine Operators in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn a median of $46,540 a year ($22.38 an hour), based on BLS data for 1,860 workers.
Pay ranges from $30,280 for the lowest-paid 10% to $60,150 for the top 10%. That is 27% higher than the national median of $36,670. Pay here is 32% higher than the North Carolina statewide median of $35,160. There are 12 sewing machine operators per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 17.9× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $44,600, close to the median.
Pay range for sewing machine operators in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,280 | $14.56 |
| 25th percentile | $36,600 | $17.60 |
| Median | $46,540 | $22.38 |
| 75th percentile | $49,960 | $24.02 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,150 | $28.92 |
| Average (mean) | $44,600 | $21.44 |
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 | $3,878.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,939.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,790 |
| Weekly | $895 |
| Hourly | $22.38 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Sewing Machine Operator salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | $37,210 | 320 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $35,730 | 300 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $34,940 | 1,640 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $34,850 | 320 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $32,470 | 1,460 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $30,960 | 340 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $30,150 | 450 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $29,640 | 150 |
| Burlington, NC | $29,570 | 180 |
| Greenville, NC | $29,280 | 70 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $29,230 | 100 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $28,560 | 130 |
| Wilmington, NC | $28,510 | 110 |
Highest-paying states for sewing machine operators
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $45,750 |
| Alaska | $43,850 |
| Colorado | $43,840 |
| Maine | $43,520 |
| Washington | $43,360 |
| Massachusetts | $42,910 |
| New Hampshire | $41,740 |
| Vermont | $40,850 |
| Wisconsin | $40,370 |
| Arizona | $40,210 |
See Sewing Machine Operator pay in every state or the North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Upholsterer | $59,700 | $28.70 |
| Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $36,200 | $17.40 |
| Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $34,940 | $16.80 |
| Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,640 | $23.39 |
| Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other | $37,370 | $17.97 |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $32,000 | $15.38 |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | $35,890 | $17.26 |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $48,380 | $23.26 |
| Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $38,990 | $18.75 |
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $29,360 | $14.11 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $42,770 | $20.56 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $64,910 | $31.21 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $43,140 | $20.74 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $38,720 | $18.62 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median salary for sewing machine operators in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $46,540 a year, or $22.38 an hour. Pay ranges from $30,280 for the lowest-paid 10% to $60,150 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid sewing machine operators make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The top 10% of sewing machine operators in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn at least $60,150 a year. The top 25% earn $49,960 or more.
What is the starting pay for sewing machine operators in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $30,280 a year, and a quarter of sewing machine operators earn $36,600 or less.
How many sewing machine operators work in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
About 1,860 sewing machine operators are employed in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.