SOC 51-6031 · May 2025 · United States
Sewing Machine Operators
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Sewing Machine Operators across the United States is $36,670 per year, measured over 104,880 jobs. The highest state median is in Nevada, at $45,750.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -10.8%
- Openings per year
- 13,000
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
11.2% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Sewing Machine Operators
Pay for this occupation varies by 56.0% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. Nevada pays $45,750 and West Virginia pays $29,320.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $45,750 | 910 | |
| 2 | Alaska | $43,850 | 40 | |
| 3 | Colorado | $43,840 | 970 | |
| 4 | Maine | $43,520 | 700 | |
| 5 | Washington | $43,360 | 1,600 | |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $42,910 | 1,540 | |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $41,740 | 190 | |
| 8 | Vermont | $40,850 | 220 | |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $40,370 | 2,370 | |
| 10 | Arizona | $40,210 | 1,420 |
States with the most Sewing Machine Operators jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 13,240 | $37,940 | |
| 2 | North Carolina | 8,290 | $35,160 | |
| 3 | Texas | 6,950 | $31,000 | |
| 4 | Florida | 6,790 | $33,270 | |
| 5 | New York | 6,130 | $38,480 | |
| 6 | Ohio | 4,100 | $35,760 | |
| 7 | Illinois | 4,060 | $36,220 | |
| 8 | Georgia | 3,420 | $34,790 | |
| 9 | Indiana | 3,400 | $38,440 | |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 3,390 | $35,640 |
Top-paying metro areas
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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