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Sewing machine operator salary
Average sewing machine operator salary
$15.05
Average Sewing Machine Operator Salary
The average salary for a sewing machine operator in the United States is approximately $31,312 per year, equating to about $15 per hour. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location, experience level, and the specific sector within the textile industry.
Factors Influencing Salary
For instance, operators in states like California and New York typically earn higher wages compared to those in other regions. Experience also plays a crucial role; entry-level positions may start at around $25,000, whereas seasoned professionals can earn upwards of $40,000 annually. Additionally, specialized skills in areas such as tailoring or industrial sewing can lead to increased earning potential.
Job Opportunities and Growth
As the demand for skilled workers in the textile and garment industries continues to grow, opportunities for sewing machine operators are expected to expand. Industries such as fashion, upholstery, and manufacturing regularly seek proficient operators, making this a viable career path for individuals interested in textiles.
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Where can a Sewing Machine Operator earn more?
Sewing machine operator salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level sewing machine operator | $29,600 | $14.23 |
| Mid-level sewing machine operator | $30,400 | $14.64 |
| Senior-level sewing machine operator | $34,500 | $16.57 |
Sewing machine operator salary estimates from across the web
Average sewing machine operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for sewing machine operators are Alaska, Rhode Island, and Minnesota. The lowest average sewing machine operator salary states are Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for sewing machine operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $40,581 | $19.51 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $38,611 | $18.56 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $38,405 | $18.46 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $35,069 | $16.86 |
| 5 | Utah | $34,766 | $16.71 |
| 6 | Vermont | $35,125 | $16.89 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $35,029 | $16.84 |
| 8 | Indiana | $34,035 | $16.36 |
| 9 | Maine | $36,124 | $17.37 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $34,491 | $16.58 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $38,172 | $18.35 |
| 12 | Delaware | $36,922 | $17.75 |
| 13 | Oregon | $35,093 | $16.87 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $36,003 | $17.31 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $34,693 | $16.68 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $33,113 | $15.92 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $36,069 | $17.34 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $32,215 | $15.49 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $34,597 | $16.63 |
| 20 | Washington | $35,893 | $17.26 |
| 21 | Illinois | $33,667 | $16.19 |
| 22 | Idaho | $33,989 | $16.34 |
| 23 | Maryland | $33,252 | $15.99 |
| 24 | Ohio | $31,086 | $14.95 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $32,651 | $15.70 |
| 26 | Montana | $33,642 | $16.17 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $31,366 | $15.08 |
| 28 | New York | $34,778 | $16.72 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $31,594 | $15.19 |
| 30 | Michigan | $30,764 | $14.79 |
| 31 | Iowa | $29,719 | $14.29 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $29,154 | $14.02 |
| 33 | Colorado | $33,629 | $16.17 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $30,388 | $14.61 |
| 35 | Nevada | $31,939 | $15.36 |
| 36 | Missouri | $30,998 | $14.90 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $29,859 | $14.36 |
| 38 | Arizona | $31,480 | $15.13 |
| 39 | California | $33,416 | $16.07 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $29,227 | $14.05 |
| 41 | Kansas | $29,780 | $14.32 |
| 42 | Georgia | $28,879 | $13.88 |
| 43 | Texas | $28,908 | $13.90 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $29,155 | $14.02 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $27,334 | $13.14 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $25,923 | $12.46 |
| 47 | Alabama | $25,138 | $12.09 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $28,076 | $13.50 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $27,029 | $12.99 |
| 50 | Florida | $26,844 | $12.91 |
| 51 | Virginia | $28,063 | $13.49 |
Highest paying cities for sewing machine operators
The highest-paying cities for sewing machine operators are Minneapolis, MN, Salt Lake City, UT, and Los Angeles, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis, MN | $38,457 | $18.49 |
| 2 | Salt Lake City, UT | $34,842 | $16.75 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $32,951 | $15.84 |
| 4 | Green Bay, WI | $32,949 | $15.84 |
| 5 | Hamilton, NJ | $32,529 | $15.64 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $31,843 | $15.31 |
| 7 | Peoria, AZ | $31,628 | $15.21 |
| 8 | Reading, PA | $31,441 | $15.12 |
| 9 | Clinton, MI | $30,902 | $14.86 |
| 10 | Durham, NC | $30,237 | $14.54 |
| 11 | Greenville, SC | $29,671 | $14.26 |
| 12 | Knoxville, TN | $29,383 | $14.13 |
| 13 | Lawrenceville, GA | $29,058 | $13.97 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $28,722 | $13.81 |
| 15 | Largo, FL | $26,902 | $12.93 |
| 16 | Huntsville, AL | $25,466 | $12.24 |
| 17 | Bowling Green, KY | $25,356 | $12.19 |
Sewing machine operator salary details
A sewing machine operator's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a sewing machine operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| Average | $31,312 | $2,609 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying sewing machine operator jobs
The highest paying types of sewing machine operators are tacker, lining closer, and sew on operator.
| 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 |
| Machine Operator | $32,874 | $2,740 | $15.80 | 96,834 |
Top companies hiring sewing machine operators now:
Which companies pay sewing machine operators the most?
Sewing machine operator salaries at Gasser Chair and ARA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average sewing machine operator salary at companies like Textron and Pacific Medical are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gasser Chair | $44,178 | $21.24 |
| 2 | ARA | $43,110 | $20.73 |
| 3 | Textron | $40,698 | $19.57 |
| 4 | Pacific Medical | $40,143 | $19.30 |
| 5 | ZF Group | $37,756 | $18.15 |
| 6 | Fruit of the Loom | $37,043 | $17.81 |
| 7 | Tempur Sealy International | $36,991 | $17.78 |
| 8 | GPAC | $36,570 | $17.58 |
| 9 | Volt Systems LLC | $34,717 | $16.69 |
| 10 | New Era Cap | $33,917 | $16.31 |
| 11 | BlueForce Inc. | $32,820 | $15.78 |
| 12 | American Leather | $32,627 | $15.69 |
| 13 | Williams Sonoma | $32,478 | $15.61 |
| 14 | Sheridan | $32,326 | $15.54 |
| 15 | American Furniture Manufacturing | $32,138 | $15.45 |
| 16 | Hunter | $32,069 | $15.42 |
| 17 | Snelling | $31,650 | $15.22 |
| 18 | Bass Pro Shops | $31,488 | $15.14 |
| 19 | A. Rifkin Co. | $31,437 | $15.11 |
| 20 | Kelly Services | $31,416 | $15.10 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Sewing machine operator salary trends
The average sewing machine operator salary has risen by $7,887 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average sewing machine operator earned $23,425 annually, but today, they earn $31,312 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for sewing machine operators over the last decade.
Compare sewing machine operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average sewing machine operator salary over time
Compare sewing machine operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Sewing machine operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,300 | $15.05 | +6.4% |
| 2024 | $29,300 | $14.09 | +5.3% |
| 2023 | $27,800 | $13.35 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $27,000 | $12.97 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $26,300 | $12.62 | +4.7% |
Recently added sewing machine operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weathertech | Sewing Machine Operator | Bolingbrook, IL | 06/29/2025 | $42,784 |
| Optimal Wkfc Strategies Dba Excel Personnel | Sewing Machine Operator-Industrial | Boone, CO | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Hooker Furniture | Sewing Machine Operator | Bedford, VA | 06/24/2025 | $37,566 |
| Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Division | Sewing Machine Operator | Augusta, GA | 06/22/2025 | $27,131 |
| Manpowergroup | Industrial Sewing Machine Operator | Farwell, MI | 06/21/2025 | $32,349 |
| Adecco Us, Inc. | Sewing Machine Operator | Celina, TX | 06/21/2025 | $37,566 |
| Herff Jones | Sewing Machine Operator-Adds Eton 1 | Arcola, IL | 06/17/2025 | $37,566 |
| The Bernard | Sewing Machine Operator | Chanhassen, MN | 06/16/2025 | $48,672 |
| The Bernard Group Inc. | Sewing Machine Operator | Chanhassen, MN | 06/16/2025 | $48,672 |
| Peopleready | Industrial Sewing Machine Operator | Terre Haute, IN | 06/11/2025 | $29,218 |
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