Sewing Machine Operators pay in the United States

In the U.S., the median pay for sewing machine operators is $17.63 an hour ($36,670 a year). About 104,880 people work in this job there.

$17.63Median hourly pay

$31,960–$42,830Middle half of workers, yearly

104,880People in this job in the U.S.

Pay range for sewing machine operators in the U.S.

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$13.39	$27,860
25% of workers	$15.37	$31,960
Half of workers (median)	$17.63	$36,670
75% of workers	$20.59	$42,830
90% of workers	$23.00	$47,840

Best-paying states for sewing machine operators

State	Median yearly pay	People in this job
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

Pay by state

Alabama · $30,830
Arizona · $40,210
Arkansas · $35,630
California · $37,940
Colorado · $43,840
Florida · $33,270
Georgia · $34,790
Illinois · $36,220
Indiana · $38,440
Iowa · $35,870
Kansas · $35,360
Kentucky · $29,460
Louisiana · $29,600
Maine · $43,520
Maryland · $35,860
Massachusetts · $42,910
Michigan · $37,490
Minnesota · $38,930
Mississippi · $37,600
Missouri · $35,610
Nevada · $45,750
New Jersey · $36,130
New York · $38,480
North Carolina · $35,160
Ohio · $35,760
Oklahoma · $33,340
Oregon · $39,780
Pennsylvania · $35,640
South Carolina · $38,250
Tennessee · $34,220
Texas · $31,000
Utah · $35,550
Virginia · $35,790
Washington · $43,360
Wisconsin · $40,370

Education, experience and outlook for sewing machine operators

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
Job outlook: -15.1% over ten years, declining · about 9,800 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in the U.S.

Job	Median yearly pay
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$50,270
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$46,570
Machine Feeders and Offbearers	$41,220
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials	$35,060
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$39,530
Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$38,760
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers	$37,800
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand	$38,020

Other job titles for this job

QuilterPiperBack FacerBand MakerZipper Machine OperatorBinderAppliquerArmhole SewerAutomat WatcherAutomatic HemmerAutomatic SeamerAutomatic Serging Machine Operator

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.