Average Salary for Sewing Machine Operators
SOC 51-6031 · Production Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Sewing Machine Operators in the United States is $36,000 ($17.31/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $26,860 at the 10th percentile to $47,060 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 109,590 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 64.2% since 2014.
Median Annual
$36,000
Mean Annual
$36,680
10th Pct
$26,860
75th Pct
$40,810
Employment
109,590
Salary Distribution
$27k
10th
$31k
25th
$36k
Median
$41k
75th
$47k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $48,880 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $48,380 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $46,990 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $46,360 |
| Kingston, NY | $46,170 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,910 |
| Iowa City, IA | $45,410 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $45,410 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $43,660 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $43,460 |
| Vallejo, CA | $43,180 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $43,080 |
| Jackson, MI | $42,660 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $42,410 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $42,090 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $42,800 |
| Washington | $41,530 |
| New Hampshire | $41,410 |
| Rhode Island | $41,290 |
| Nevada | $40,550 |
| Minnesota | $40,510 |
| Massachusetts | $40,370 |
| Maine | $40,170 |
| Vermont | $39,870 |
| Arizona | $39,240 |
| North Dakota | $39,110 |
| Wisconsin | $38,940 |
| Mississippi | $38,690 |
| Colorado | $38,580 |
| South Dakota | $38,120 |
| Oregon | $37,940 |
| New York | $37,810 |
| Michigan | $37,600 |
| Utah | $37,480 |
| Montana | $37,240 |
| Connecticut | $37,220 |
| Indiana | $37,070 |
| California | $37,010 |
| Iowa | $36,790 |
| Hawaii | $36,500 |
| Nebraska | $36,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,310 |
| Illinois | $35,540 |
| Ohio | $35,400 |
| Maryland | $35,390 |
| Delaware | $35,320 |
| North Carolina | $35,170 |
| New Jersey | $35,080 |
| Missouri | $34,910 |
| Wyoming | $34,840 |
| Kansas | $34,800 |
| South Carolina | $34,640 |
| Idaho | $34,510 |
| New Mexico | $34,230 |
| Georgia | $33,710 |
| Virginia | $33,280 |
| Oklahoma | $32,250 |
| Tennessee | $32,250 |
| West Virginia | $31,770 |
| Florida | $31,340 |
| Arkansas | $30,630 |
| Texas | $30,480 |
| Alabama | $30,140 |
| Kentucky | $29,040 |
| Louisiana | $28,670 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,040 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Sewing Machine Operators broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $50,480 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $50,480 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | $49,290 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $49,250 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $49,250 |
| Casino Hotels | $46,490 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | $46,330 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $44,160 |
| Ship and Boat Building | $43,900 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | $43,720 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $43,490 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance | $42,120 |
| Automotive Body, Paint, Interior, and Glass Repair | $42,120 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | $41,830 |
| Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $41,130 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $41,030 |
| Educational Services | $40,970 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | $40,950 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $40,830 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $40,680 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $40,420 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | $40,420 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | $40,260 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | $40,200 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $40,150 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $40,050 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $40,050 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $40,040 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $39,450 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $39,280 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | $39,280 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $39,280 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $39,240 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | $39,160 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $39,140 |
| Other Support Services | $38,830 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $38,810 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $38,810 |
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers | $38,800 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers | $38,800 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $38,750 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $38,750 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $38,630 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $38,410 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $38,310 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $38,260 |
| Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | $38,050 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $37,960 |
| Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers | $37,800 |
| Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers | $37,710 |
| Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers | $37,570 |
| Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers | $37,570 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $37,540 |
| General Merchandise Retailers | $37,490 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $37,340 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $37,340 |
| Construction | $37,340 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $37,340 |
| Fabric Mills | $37,320 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $37,270 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $37,220 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $37,180 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $37,060 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $36,990 |
| Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers | $36,980 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | $36,760 |
| Wholesale Trade | $36,750 |
| Other Personal Services | $36,710 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $36,560 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $36,510 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $36,510 |
| Textile Mills | $36,480 |
| Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills | $36,440 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $36,390 |
| Drycleaning and Laundry Services | $36,370 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | $36,340 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | $36,340 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $36,210 |
| Manufacturing | $36,080 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | $36,030 |
| Other Textile Product Mills | $36,030 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $36,000 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | $35,990 |
| Textile Product Mills | $35,900 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $35,870 |
| Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers | $35,840 |
| Retail Trade | $35,790 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | $35,760 |
| Textile Furnishings Mills | $35,710 |
| Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers | $35,630 |
| Sporting Goods Retailers | $35,480 |
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | $35,400 |
| Apparel Manufacturing | $35,300 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $35,180 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $34,840 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $34,640 |
| Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | $34,470 |
| Specialized Design Services | $34,410 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $34,210 |
| Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | $33,960 |
| Other Motor Vehicle Dealers | $33,790 |
| Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $33,150 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $32,790 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $32,790 |
| Temporary Help Services | $32,790 |
| Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | $32,650 |
| Employment Services | $32,570 |
| Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | $31,720 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $31,510 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $31,510 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $29,670 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $29,450 |
| Social Assistance | $29,250 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services | $29,250 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $29,250 |
| Apparel Knitting Mills | $28,880 |
| Footwear Manufacturing | $28,150 |
| Individual and Family Services | $27,800 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | $27,370 |
| Educational Services | $24,070 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $24,070 |
| Accommodation | $21,620 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $21,620 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $21,620 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $36,000 |
| 2023 | $34,440 |
| 2022 | $31,740 |
| 2021 | $29,690 |
| 2020 | $28,230 |
| 2019 | $26,420 |
| 2018 | $25,030 |
| 2017 | $24,320 |
| 2016 | $23,670 |
| 2015 | $22,550 |
| 2014 | $21,920 |