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The average salary for a sew on operator in the United States stands at $43,988 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific sector within the textile industry.
Generally, entry-level positions start at around $30,000, while experienced operators can earn upwards of $55,000. This variability reflects the demand for skilled labor and the complexity of the tasks performed.
Geographic location significantly impacts earnings. For instance, states such as California and New York typically offer higher wages due to the cost of living and industry presence. Cities like Los Angeles and New York City are among the highest-paying locations for sew on operators.
In summary, pursuing a career as a sew on operator can provide stable employment opportunities with competitive salaries. The field continues to grow, making it a viable option for job seekers interested in the textile industry.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level sew on operator | $41,600 | $20.00 |
| Mid-level sew on operator | $42,800 | $20.56 |
| Senior-level sew on operator | $48,400 | $23.27 |
The highest-paying states for sew on operators are Alaska, Delaware, and Rhode Island. The lowest average sew on operator salary states are Kansas, Idaho, and Arkansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $63,643 | $30.60 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $57,340 | $27.57 |
| 3 | Delaware | $59,557 | $28.63 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $57,418 | $27.60 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $52,019 | $25.01 |
| 6 | Maryland | $53,013 | $25.49 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $49,866 | $23.97 |
| 8 | New York | $54,681 | $26.29 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $50,082 | $24.08 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $53,310 | $25.63 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $48,840 | $23.48 |
| 12 | Ohio | $42,555 | $20.46 |
| 13 | Maine | $44,471 | $21.38 |
| 14 | Arizona | $45,513 | $21.88 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $47,443 | $22.81 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $43,845 | $21.08 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $38,501 | $18.51 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $39,903 | $19.18 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $42,573 | $20.47 |
| 20 | Michigan | $41,331 | $19.87 |
| 21 | California | $48,215 | $23.18 |
| 22 | Vermont | $44,445 | $21.37 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $39,628 | $19.05 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $39,526 | $19.00 |
| 25 | Virginia | $42,202 | $20.29 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $39,876 | $19.17 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $37,578 | $18.07 |
| 28 | Nevada | $41,463 | $19.93 |
| 29 | Texas | $40,049 | $19.25 |
| 30 | Indiana | $38,065 | $18.30 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $36,946 | $17.76 |
| 32 | Illinois | $38,026 | $18.28 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $35,033 | $16.84 |
| 34 | Florida | $35,457 | $17.05 |
| 35 | Georgia | $35,607 | $17.12 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $36,219 | $17.41 |
| 37 | Montana | $34,577 | $16.62 |
| 38 | Iowa | $33,649 | $16.18 |
| 39 | Kansas | $33,085 | $15.91 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $36,473 | $17.54 |
| 41 | Utah | $35,156 | $16.90 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $36,389 | $17.49 |
| 43 | Missouri | $35,279 | $16.96 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $31,664 | $15.22 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $32,205 | $15.48 |
| 46 | Washington | $34,479 | $16.58 |
| 47 | Alabama | $31,188 | $14.99 |
| 48 | Colorado | $34,909 | $16.78 |
| 49 | Oregon | $34,194 | $16.44 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $31,096 | $14.95 |
| 51 | Idaho | $32,952 | $15.84 |
The highest-paying cities for sew on operators are New York, NY, Hillsborough, NJ, and Allentown, PA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $54,994 | $26.44 |
| 2 | Hillsborough, NJ | $51,925 | $24.96 |
| 3 | Allentown, PA | $50,590 | $24.32 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $48,506 | $23.32 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $45,631 | $21.94 |
| 6 | Tempe, AZ | $45,483 | $21.87 |
| 7 | Duluth, MN | $45,385 | $21.82 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $41,737 | $20.07 |
| 9 | Washington, UT | $41,424 | $19.92 |
| 10 | Ann Arbor, MI | $41,019 | $19.72 |
| 11 | High Point, NC | $40,139 | $19.30 |
| 12 | Goshen, IN | $40,069 | $19.26 |
| 13 | Elk Grove Village, IL | $38,266 | $18.40 |
| 14 | Omaha, NE | $38,003 | $18.27 |
| 15 | Largo, FL | $36,115 | $17.36 |
| 16 | Lawrenceville, GA | $35,657 | $17.14 |
| 17 | Nashville, TN | $35,072 | $16.86 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $34,912 | $16.78 |
| 19 | Bozeman, MT | $33,415 | $16.06 |
| 20 | Kansas City, KS | $33,384 | $16.05 |
A sew on operator's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $81,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $43,988 | $3,666 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
The highest paying types of sew on operators are machine sewer, tacker, and lining closer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seamstress | $33,724 | $2,810 | $16.21 | 1,259 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Sewing Machine Operator | $31,312 | $2,609 | $15.05 | 63,884 |
Top companies hiring sew on operators now:
Sew on operator salaries at Brunswick and Leggett & Platt are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average sew on operator salary at companies like Dash Designs and Tempur Sealy International are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brunswick | $47,062 | $22.63 |
| 2 | Leggett & Platt | $45,437 | $21.84 |
| 3 | Dash Designs | $45,118 | $21.69 |
| 4 | Tempur Sealy International | $45,063 | $21.66 |
| 5 | American Water | $43,899 | $21.11 |
| 6 | ILC Dover | $43,358 | $20.85 |
| 7 | Covercraft Industries | $43,089 | $20.72 |
| 8 | Brooklyn Products International | $40,857 | $19.64 |
| 9 | Shaw Industries | $40,199 | $19.33 |
| 10 | City of Bozeman | $40,193 | $19.32 |
| 11 | YKK | $39,804 | $19.14 |
| 12 | LAUNCH Technical Workforce Solutions | $39,686 | $19.08 |
| 13 | LSC Communications | $38,440 | $18.48 |
| 14 | Washington City Paper | $35,430 | $17.03 |
| 15 | AmeriPride Services | $34,384 | $16.53 |
| 16 | Kimball | $33,227 | $15.97 |
| 17 | Kelly Services | $32,408 | $15.58 |
| 18 | Aramark | $32,024 | $15.40 |
| 19 | RESOURCE | $30,553 | $14.69 |
| 20 | Adecco | $30,150 | $14.50 |
The average sew on operator salary has risen by $11,079 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average sew on operator earned $32,909 annually, but today, they earn $43,988 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for sew on operators over the last decade.
Compare sew on operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare sew on operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,000 | $21.15 | +6.4% |
| 2024 | $41,200 | $19.79 | +5.3% |
| 2023 | $39,000 | $18.75 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $37,900 | $18.22 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $36,900 | $17.73 | +4.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Badger Daylighting Corp | Cctv Sewer/Pipe Inspection Operator | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/28/2025 | $48,001 |
| Wieland Designs, Inc. | Industrial Sewing Operator/Topeka | Topeka, IN | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Aerotek | Sewing Operator | Santa Ana, CA | 06/21/2025 | $39,653 |
| Automation Personnel Services | Industrial Sewing Operator | Saint Petersburg, FL | 06/20/2025 | $37,566 |
| City of South Bend, In | Seasonal General Labor-Sewer OPS | South Bend, IN | 06/18/2025 | $33,392 |
| Badger Daylighting | Cctv Sewer/Pipe Inspection Operator | Salt Lake City, UT | 06/10/2025 | $52,175 |
| Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District | Supervisor of Sewer System Maintenance & Operation (Ssmo)-Maintenance Inspection & Repair (MIR) | Cuyahoga Heights, OH | 05/26/2025 | $72,700 |
| Pinellas County, Fl | Water & Sewer Operations Worker/Trainee | Largo, FL | 05/15/2025 | $37,566 |
| City of Bozeman, Mt | Water & Sewer Operator I | Bozeman, MT | 05/10/2025 | $66,241 |
| Sportswear Inc. | Sewing Operator-Will Train!! | Louisville, KY | 04/28/2025 | $29,218 |
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