Sewing Machine Operators earn a median of $36,670 per year ($17.63/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 15.1% through 2035, with about 9,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 51-6031
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Sewing Machine Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $36,670a year, or $17.63/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $28KTop 10% $48K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -15.1%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−15.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −15.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 9,800117,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025117.2K
- Projected 203599.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 117.2K Projected 2035 99.5K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school52.9%
- High school41.4%
- Certificate0.7%
- Associate's5%
Highest education held by sewing machine operators Segment Value Less than high school 52.9% High school 41.4% Certificate 0.7% Associate's 5%
Also advertised as: Line Closer, Machine Operator, Prototype Sewer, Sample Maker, Seamer, Seamstress.
Pay
How much do Sewing Machine Operators make?
Every sewing machine operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$36,670
Middle half earn $31,960 to $42,830
- 10th
- $27,860
- 25th
- $31,960
- 75th
- $42,830
- 90th
- $47,840
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $27,860 |
| 25th | $31,960 |
| Median | $36,670 |
| 75th | $42,830 |
| 90th | $47,840 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $36,670
- Median hourly wage
- $17.63/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $37,600
- People employed
- 104,880
Versus all US occupations
At $36,670, Sewing Machine Operators earn 28% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $14,310 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 24% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $47,840 or more while the bottom 10% earn $27,860, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 4% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Nevada pays the most at $45,750, and still leads at $45,760 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Sewing Machine Operators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Nevada | $45,750 | $45,760 | 910 |
| 2Alaska | $43,850 | $42,839 | 40 |
| 3Colorado | $43,840 | $42,542 | 970 |
| 4Maine | $43,520 | $44,843 | 700 |
| 5Washington | $43,360 | $40,518 | 1,600 |
| 6Massachusetts | $42,910 | $40,574 | 1,540 |
| 7New Hampshire | $41,740 | $40,071 | 190 |
| 8Vermont | $40,850 | $41,702 | 220 |
| 9Wisconsin | $40,370 | $42,903 | 2,370 |
| 10Arizona | $40,210 | $39,940 | 1,420 |
Job outlook
Is Sewing Machine Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -15.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Sewing Machine Operators | −15.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Sewing Machine Operators to change -15.1% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 17,700 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 9,800 openings are projected each year, 8.4% of the 117,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Sewing Machine Operator
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as sewing machine operators.
- Less than a High School Diploma52.9%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)41.4%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree5%
- Post-Secondary Certificate0.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 52.9% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 41.4% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 5% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 0.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Sewing Machine Operator do?
Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
Day-to-day tasks
- Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.
- Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.
- Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements.
- Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections.
- Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
- Perform equipment maintenance tasks such as replacing needles, sanding rough areas of needles, or cleaning and oiling sewing machines.
- Turn knobs, screws, and dials to adjust settings of machines, according to garment styles and equipment performance.
- Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantLittle or no dealing with customers or the public.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Listening2.8
- Critical Thinking2.8
- Reading Comprehension2.6
- Speaking2.1
- Active Learning2.1
- Learning Strategies2.1
- Writing2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 2.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.6 |
| Speaking | 2.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.1 |
| Writing | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Operations Monitoring2.8
- Quality Control Analysis2.8
- Judgment and Decision Making2.8
- Time Management2.8
- Operation and Control2.6
- Coordination2.5
- Social Perceptiveness2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.8 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.8 |
| Time Management | 2.8 |
| Operation and Control | 2.6 |
| Coordination | 2.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Sewing Machine Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Sewing Machine Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.8
- Conventional4.0
- Artistic1.8
- Investigative1.4
- Social1.2
- Enterprising1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Sewing Machine Operator
O*NET related occupations
- Production
- Production
- Production
Presser, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
$35,060median a year
Most earn $27K to $43K
−15.7%No formal credential - Production
- Production
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$46,570median a year
Most earn $36K to $61K
−0.9%High school - Production
Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$39,530median a year
Most earn $30K to $49K
−13.7%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with sewing machine operators highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
- Sewing Machine Operator$36,670
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
| Sewing Machine Operator | $36,670 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Sewing Machine Operator appears on
Questions
Sewing Machine Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Sewing Machine Operators make?
Sewing Machine Operators earn a median of $36,670 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 28% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $17.63/hr. The middle half earn between $31,960 and $42,830. The top 10% earn $47,840 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Sewing Machine Operator?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Sewing Machine Operators, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 52.9% hold less than a high school diploma.
Is Sewing Machine Operator a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 15.1% over 2025–2035, a loss of 17,700 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 9,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Sewing Machine Operator do?
Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products. A core O*NET task: place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Sewing Machine Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Sewing Machine Operators are Nevada ($45,750), Alaska ($43,850), Colorado ($43,840) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Sewing Machine Operator?
O*NET scores Sewing Machine Operators highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.