235 metro areas
Sewing Machine Operator Salary by City (2026)
Sewing machine operators earn the most in Appleton, WI, an average of $51,830 a year, against $37,600 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Appleton, WI ($56,080 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $37,600BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $51,830Appleton, WI
- Best after cost of living
- $56,080Appleton, WI
- Metro areas
- 235With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for sewing machine operators
Top 10 metro areas
- Appleton, WI$51,830
- Bend, OR$47,990
- San Jose, CA$47,860
- Santa Cruz, CA$47,470
- San Francisco, CA$46,380
- Kiryas Joel, NY$45,930
- Las Vegas, NV$45,590
- Glens Falls, NY$45,430
- Denver, CO$45,240
- Seattle, WA$44,740
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $51,830 |
| Bend, OR | $47,990 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,860 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $47,470 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,380 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $45,930 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $45,590 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $45,430 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $45,240 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $44,740 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Appleton, WI$51,830 nominal$56,080
- Hickory, NC$44,600 nominal$50,400
- Glens Falls, NY$45,430 nominal$47,890
- Bend, OR$47,990 nominal$46,320
- Dubuque, IA$39,810 nominal$45,590
- Elkhart, IN$41,160 nominal$45,570
- Las Vegas, NV$45,590 nominal$45,490
- Binghamton, NY$42,060 nominal$45,290
- Lewiston, ME$42,790 nominal$45,170
- Evansville, IN$41,250 nominal$45,070
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $56,080 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $50,400 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $47,890 |
| Bend, OR | $46,320 |
| Dubuque, IA | $45,590 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $45,570 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $45,490 |
| Binghamton, NY | $45,290 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $45,170 |
| Evansville, IN | $45,070 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Sewing Machine Operator salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Appleton, WI | $51,830 | $36,230 | $59,510 | $56,080 |
| 2 | Bend, OR | $47,990 | $39,460 | $52,170 | $46,320 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $47,860 | $41,540 | $50,980 | $43,340 |
| 4 | Santa Cruz, CA | $47,470 | $37,520 | $52,350 | $43,200 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $46,380 | $39,150 | $49,940 | $40,120 |
| 6 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $45,930 | $35,320 | $51,150 | $41,980 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $45,590 | $31,840 | $52,350 | $45,490 |
| 8 | Glens Falls, NY | $45,430 | $35,030 | $50,560 | $47,890 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $45,240 | $37,520 | $49,030 | $42,770 |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | $44,740 | $39,520 | $47,300 | $40,260 |
| 11 | Hickory, NC | $44,600 | $33,030 | $50,320 | $50,400 |
| 12 | Napa, CA | $44,600 | $39,870 | $46,920 | $39,630 |
| 13 | Boston, MA-NH | $44,410 | $36,980 | $48,070 | $41,020 |
| 14 | Bremerton, WA | $44,320 | $37,920 | $47,470 | $41,970 |
| 15 | Portland, ME | $44,260 | $35,670 | $48,510 | $43,450 |
| 16 | Bellingham, WA | $43,970 | $37,420 | $47,200 | $42,550 |
| 17 | Reno, NV | $43,830 | $35,570 | $47,880 | $43,390 |
| 18 | Stockton, CA | $43,660 | $36,250 | $47,320 | $41,550 |
| 19 | Portland, OR-WA | $43,510 | $35,920 | $47,240 | $41,270 |
| 20 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $43,470 | $32,780 | $48,760 | $39,920 |
| 21 | Bridgeport, CT | $43,410 | $37,320 | $46,430 | $40,620 |
| 22 | Burlington, VT | $43,350 | $35,570 | $47,170 | $42,940 |
| 23 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $43,180 | $35,300 | $47,070 | $41,190 |
| 24 | Naples, FL | $43,140 | $34,690 | $47,300 | $41,800 |
| 25 | Boulder, CO | $42,810 | $36,920 | $45,720 | $40,690 |
| 26 | Lewiston, ME | $42,790 | $36,300 | $45,990 | $45,170 |
| 27 | Oxnard, CA | $42,660 | $36,800 | $45,550 | $38,590 |
| 28 | Bangor, ME | $42,600 | $34,130 | $46,780 | $44,140 |
| 29 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $42,470 | $36,130 | $45,610 | $39,110 |
| 30 | Sacramento, CA | $42,310 | $36,250 | $45,300 | $39,660 |
| 31 | Merced, CA | $42,120 | $38,480 | $43,910 | $42,860 |
| 32 | Binghamton, NY | $42,060 | $38,020 | $44,050 | $45,290 |
| 33 | Santa Rosa, CA | $41,790 | $37,460 | $43,910 | $38,770 |
| 34 | Grand Junction, CO | $41,750 | $35,650 | $44,740 | $43,730 |
| 35 | Traverse City, MI | $41,720 | $35,940 | $44,570 | $44,680 |
| 36 | Springfield, MA | $41,700 | $36,920 | $44,050 | $43,410 |
| 37 | Phoenix, AZ | $41,660 | $35,860 | $44,510 | $40,320 |
| 38 | Salem, OR | $41,580 | $33,780 | $45,430 | $40,120 |
| 39 | Medford, OR | $41,500 | $32,990 | $45,680 | $40,910 |
| 40 | Fort Collins, CO | $41,350 | $35,150 | $44,410 | $40,890 |
| 41 | Evansville, IN | $41,250 | $34,090 | $44,760 | $45,070 |
| 42 | Elkhart, IN | $41,160 | $33,800 | $44,780 | $45,570 |
| 43 | Madison, WI | $41,160 | $32,700 | $45,320 | $42,310 |
| 44 | New York, NY-NJ | $41,160 | $34,740 | $44,320 | $36,570 |
| 45 | Santa Maria, CA | $41,100 | $36,360 | $43,410 | $37,780 |
| 46 | Syracuse, NY | $41,060 | $33,800 | $44,640 | $42,890 |
| 47 | Riverside, CA | $41,040 | $35,610 | $43,720 | $38,560 |
| 48 | Kingston, NY | $40,980 | $35,090 | $43,890 | $40,690 |
| 49 | Providence, RI-MA | $40,930 | $34,130 | $44,280 | $40,220 |
| 50 | Bozeman, MT | $40,830 | $29,760 | $46,280 | $39,830 |
| 51 | Colorado Springs, CO | $40,830 | $34,990 | $43,720 | $40,540 |
| 52 | San Diego, CA | $40,830 | $36,090 | $43,160 | $36,490 |
| 53 | Worcester, MA | $40,830 | $33,320 | $44,530 | $39,830 |
| 54 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $40,810 | $32,260 | $45,030 | $45,030 |
| 55 | Hartford, CT | $40,730 | $36,250 | $42,950 | $39,640 |
| 56 | Albany, NY | $40,600 | $33,550 | $44,050 | $40,780 |
| 57 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $40,540 | $32,910 | $44,300 | $36,540 |
| 58 | Lincoln, NE | $40,520 | $30,510 | $45,450 | $44,240 |
| 59 | Milwaukee, WI | $40,410 | $32,450 | $44,320 | $41,690 |
| 60 | Los Angeles, CA | $40,350 | $35,460 | $42,740 | $35,530 |
| 61 | Racine, WI | $40,210 | $31,640 | $44,430 | $41,900 |
| 62 | Spokane, WA | $40,190 | $36,630 | $41,950 | $40,050 |
| 63 | Grand Rapids, MI | $40,060 | $34,220 | $42,930 | $41,930 |
| 64 | Orlando, FL | $40,060 | $30,220 | $44,890 | $39,500 |
| 65 | Spartanburg, SC | $40,020 | $32,030 | $43,970 | $43,950 |
| 66 | Missoula, MT | $39,830 | $31,010 | $44,180 | $41,300 |
| 67 | Dubuque, IA | $39,810 | $34,780 | $42,290 | $45,590 |
| 68 | Tucson, AZ | $39,750 | $34,420 | $42,370 | $41,020 |
| 69 | Fresno, CA | $39,620 | $34,670 | $42,060 | $38,780 |
| 70 | Detroit, MI | $39,560 | $32,450 | $43,060 | $39,440 |
| 71 | Manchester, NH | $39,520 | $30,280 | $44,050 | $37,400 |
| 72 | Modesto, CA | $39,500 | $34,760 | $41,830 | $37,940 |
| 73 | Bakersfield, CA | $39,480 | $34,320 | $42,000 | $39,130 |
| 74 | Janesville, WI | $39,460 | $25,130 | $46,530 | $42,110 |
| 75 | Boise City, ID | $39,440 | $31,800 | $43,200 | $40,080 |
| 76 | Greeley, CO | $39,330 | $32,880 | $42,490 | $39,260 |
| 77 | Greenville, SC | $39,290 | $32,090 | $42,830 | $42,130 |
| 78 | Ann Arbor, MI | $39,250 | $30,910 | $43,350 | $38,910 |
| 79 | Fayetteville, AR | $39,250 | $31,700 | $42,970 | $42,970 |
| 80 | Duluth, MN-WI | $39,230 | $32,090 | $42,740 | $44,190 |
| 81 | Buffalo, NY | $39,080 | $33,280 | $41,950 | $40,770 |
| 82 | Eugene, OR | $39,040 | $35,170 | $40,960 | $38,440 |
| 83 | New Haven, CT | $39,040 | $34,010 | $41,520 | $37,340 |
| 84 | Chicago, IL-IN | $39,020 | $34,320 | $41,350 | $37,670 |
| 85 | Atlantic City, NJ | $39,000 | $33,300 | $41,830 | $39,450 |
| 86 | Fort Wayne, IN | $38,960 | $32,390 | $42,180 | $42,090 |
| 87 | Baltimore, MD | $38,850 | $31,820 | $42,310 | $37,180 |
| 88 | Scranton, PA | $38,830 | $30,240 | $43,080 | $41,500 |
| 89 | Columbia, SC | $38,810 | $28,290 | $43,990 | $41,440 |
| 90 | Charleston, SC | $38,790 | $31,010 | $42,640 | $38,420 |
| 91 | Toledo, OH | $38,600 | $31,970 | $41,850 | $42,210 |
| 92 | York, PA | $38,580 | $32,640 | $41,520 | $40,190 |
| 93 | Fond du Lac, WI | $38,460 | $28,770 | $43,220 | $41,970 |
| 94 | Wausau, WI | $38,460 | $32,470 | $41,410 | $41,510 |
| 95 | Waterbury, CT | $38,360 | $34,010 | $40,500 | $38,450 |
| 96 | Cape Coral, FL | $38,150 | $29,520 | $42,390 | $37,270 |
| 97 | Indianapolis, IN | $38,060 | $30,100 | $42,000 | $39,770 |
| 98 | Fargo, ND-MN | $38,000 | $31,010 | $41,450 | $41,820 |
| 99 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $37,900 | $33,030 | $40,290 | $39,860 |
| 100 | Crestview, FL | $37,860 | $29,990 | $41,750 | $39,020 |
| 101 | Davenport, IA-IL | $37,840 | $31,570 | $40,930 | $42,480 |
| 102 | Santa Fe, NM | $37,840 | $31,450 | $40,980 | $38,310 |
| 103 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $37,790 | $29,950 | $41,640 | $41,180 |
| 104 | Flint, MI | $37,730 | $30,970 | $41,040 | $40,560 |
| 105 | Richmond, VA | $37,730 | $28,790 | $42,140 | $38,560 |
| 106 | Trenton, NJ | $37,690 | $32,740 | $40,140 | $36,530 |
| 107 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $37,630 | $31,720 | $40,540 | $39,960 |
| 108 | Salt Lake City, UT | $37,590 | $31,240 | $40,710 | $37,270 |
| 109 | Des Moines, IA | $37,460 | $30,450 | $40,910 | $40,850 |
| 110 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $37,420 | $32,800 | $39,690 | $40,440 |
| 111 | Springfield, OH | $37,420 | $31,300 | $40,440 | $41,360 |
| 112 | Columbus, OH | $37,380 | $30,530 | $40,770 | $39,150 |
| 113 | Odessa, TX | $37,320 | $25,130 | $43,330 | $39,750 |
| 114 | Omaha, NE-IA | $37,290 | $31,550 | $40,100 | $40,570 |
| 115 | Ogden, UT | $37,250 | $30,430 | $40,600 | $37,120 |
| 116 | Palm Bay, FL | $37,250 | $30,600 | $40,540 | $37,250 |
| 117 | Lakeland, FL | $37,230 | $29,490 | $41,040 | $38,330 |
| 118 | Reading, PA | $37,230 | $30,970 | $40,310 | $38,360 |
| 119 | Provo, UT | $37,150 | $29,870 | $40,750 | $37,820 |
| 120 | Rochester, NY | $37,150 | $32,990 | $39,210 | $38,290 |
| 121 | Deltona, FL | $37,090 | $31,820 | $39,690 | $37,330 |
| 122 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $37,040 | $27,890 | $41,560 | $37,050 |
| 123 | Green Bay, WI | $37,020 | $27,850 | $41,540 | $39,770 |
| 124 | Nashville, TN | $36,980 | $24,270 | $43,240 | $38,390 |
| 125 | Atlanta, GA | $36,960 | $30,240 | $40,270 | $36,940 |
| 126 | Dayton, OH | $36,800 | $31,950 | $39,170 | $39,700 |
| 127 | St. George, UT | $36,710 | $30,180 | $39,940 | $37,720 |
| 128 | Huntsville, AL | $36,690 | $27,770 | $41,080 | $39,420 |
| 129 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $36,590 | $27,210 | $41,200 | $40,000 |
| 130 | Erie, PA | $36,570 | $28,000 | $40,790 | $40,210 |
| 131 | Austin, TX | $36,550 | $26,350 | $41,560 | $37,270 |
| 132 | Pensacola, FL | $36,550 | $32,930 | $38,330 | $37,400 |
| 133 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $36,520 | $30,850 | $39,330 | $38,290 |
| 134 | Akron, OH | $36,460 | $29,450 | $39,940 | $39,050 |
| 135 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $36,440 | $29,720 | $39,750 | $35,530 |
| 136 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $36,420 | $28,020 | $40,560 | $37,190 |
| 137 | Lafayette, IN | $36,400 | $30,490 | $39,330 | $38,960 |
| 138 | North Port, FL | $36,400 | $30,600 | $39,250 | $35,540 |
| 139 | Kalamazoo, MI | $36,320 | $30,240 | $39,310 | $38,300 |
| 140 | Asheville, NC | $36,250 | $29,990 | $39,330 | $37,560 |
| 141 | Jackson, TN | $36,250 | $29,580 | $39,540 | $42,390 |
| 142 | Lebanon, PA | $36,190 | $29,100 | $39,690 | $38,820 |
| 143 | Savannah, GA | $36,170 | $31,620 | $38,400 | $37,990 |
| 144 | Gainesville, GA | $36,130 | $30,140 | $39,080 | $37,340 |
| 145 | Ocala, FL | $36,130 | $29,540 | $39,370 | $37,940 |
| 146 | Springfield, MO | $36,130 | $30,180 | $39,060 | $40,790 |
| 147 | Cleveland, OH | $36,050 | $30,930 | $38,560 | $38,380 |
| 148 | Rockford, IL | $36,050 | $31,260 | $38,400 | $39,120 |
| 149 | Harrisburg, PA | $35,940 | $28,790 | $39,460 | $36,430 |
| 150 | Jacksonville, FL | $35,860 | $29,740 | $38,880 | $36,050 |
| 151 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $35,820 | $29,600 | $38,900 | $40,260 |
| 152 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $35,780 | $27,980 | $39,620 | $36,750 |
| 153 | Logan, UT-ID | $35,760 | $31,470 | $37,880 | $37,280 |
| 154 | South Bend, IN-MI | $35,630 | $31,180 | $37,810 | $38,370 |
| 155 | Lancaster, PA | $35,570 | $28,620 | $38,980 | $36,200 |
| 156 | Peoria, IL | $35,570 | $31,950 | $37,340 | $38,990 |
| 157 | Tampa, FL | $35,530 | $28,540 | $38,960 | $35,220 |
| 158 | Durham, NC | $35,420 | $28,000 | $39,080 | $36,300 |
| 159 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $35,360 | $29,180 | $38,420 | $40,900 |
| 160 | Longview, TX | $35,280 | $25,790 | $39,960 | $39,430 |
| 161 | Pittsburgh, PA | $35,240 | $29,000 | $38,310 | $37,220 |
| 162 | Tulsa, OK | $35,240 | $26,500 | $39,540 | $39,500 |
| 163 | Dallas, TX | $35,190 | $27,190 | $39,120 | $34,140 |
| 164 | Roanoke, VA | $35,170 | $27,870 | $38,770 | $37,570 |
| 165 | Waterloo, IA | $34,820 | $26,770 | $38,770 | $40,000 |
| 166 | Greensboro, NC | $34,670 | $26,670 | $38,600 | $37,330 |
| 167 | Albuquerque, NM | $34,630 | $28,680 | $37,560 | $36,240 |
| 168 | Little Rock, AR | $34,510 | $27,100 | $38,150 | $38,620 |
| 169 | Houston, TX | $34,340 | $26,710 | $38,130 | $34,820 |
| 170 | Idaho Falls, ID | $34,300 | $26,540 | $38,130 | $36,330 |
| 171 | Terre Haute, IN | $34,280 | $23,230 | $39,710 | $39,040 |
| 172 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $34,240 | $27,370 | $37,610 | $37,650 |
| 173 | Utica, NY | $34,240 | $32,240 | $35,210 | $36,950 |
| 174 | Saginaw, MI | $34,150 | $27,520 | $37,420 | $37,570 |
| 175 | Mobile, AL | $34,070 | $28,350 | $36,900 | $38,670 |
| 176 | Lexington, KY | $34,050 | $26,960 | $37,520 | $36,660 |
| 177 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $33,990 | $22,650 | $39,580 | $36,870 |
| 178 | Vineland, NJ | $33,990 | $32,220 | $34,840 | $35,420 |
| 179 | Bowling Green, KY | $33,900 | $28,390 | $36,630 | $37,590 |
| 180 | Gainesville, FL | $33,840 | $30,080 | $35,690 | $34,980 |
| 181 | Panama City, FL | $33,820 | $29,270 | $36,070 | $34,760 |
| 182 | Winston, NC | $33,760 | $26,770 | $37,190 | $36,680 |
| 183 | Cleveland, TN | $33,720 | $25,110 | $37,960 | $38,280 |
| 184 | Montgomery, AL | $33,720 | $26,920 | $37,070 | $37,600 |
| 185 | Joplin, MO-KS | $33,590 | $28,700 | $36,000 | $39,190 |
| 186 | Birmingham, AL | $33,570 | $25,830 | $37,380 | $36,630 |
| 187 | Oklahoma City, OK | $33,570 | $26,190 | $37,210 | $37,130 |
| 188 | Greenville, NC | $33,550 | $27,390 | $36,590 | $37,950 |
| 189 | Youngstown, OH | $33,490 | $28,910 | $35,760 | $38,320 |
| 190 | Daphne, AL | $33,470 | $27,520 | $36,380 | $35,350 |
| 191 | Morristown, TN | $33,430 | $25,230 | $37,460 | $38,710 |
| 192 | Anniston, AL | $33,380 | $28,350 | $35,860 | $38,840 |
| 193 | Johnson City, TN | $33,360 | $25,630 | $37,170 | $37,940 |
| 194 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $33,260 | $25,710 | $36,980 | $35,740 |
| 195 | Columbus, GA-AL | $33,240 | $31,200 | $34,260 | $37,220 |
| 196 | Knoxville, TN | $33,220 | $19,610 | $39,940 | $35,890 |
| 197 | Canton, OH | $33,160 | $30,350 | $34,550 | $37,090 |
| 198 | Wichita, KS | $33,160 | $26,640 | $36,360 | $37,280 |
| 199 | Amarillo, TX | $33,070 | $23,770 | $37,650 | $36,020 |
| 200 | Athens, GA | $33,070 | $28,180 | $35,480 | $35,430 |
| 201 | Miami, FL | $33,030 | $27,620 | $35,710 | $28,930 |
| 202 | Augusta, GA-SC | $32,990 | $27,440 | $35,710 | $35,900 |
| 203 | Wilmington, NC | $32,910 | $27,440 | $35,610 | $34,130 |
| 204 | Decatur, AL | $32,720 | $27,620 | $35,240 | $37,520 |
| 205 | Jackson, MS | $32,640 | $23,650 | $37,070 | $36,650 |
| 206 | Raleigh, NC | $32,510 | $25,940 | $35,730 | $33,120 |
| 207 | Michigan City, IN | $32,300 | $25,940 | $35,460 | $35,230 |
| 208 | Dalton, GA | $32,240 | $24,980 | $35,840 | $35,880 |
| 209 | Fayetteville, NC | $32,120 | $27,410 | $34,420 | $34,920 |
| 210 | Salisbury, MD | $31,970 | $31,200 | $32,360 | $33,440 |
| 211 | San Antonio, TX | $31,780 | $23,880 | $35,690 | $33,550 |
| 212 | Dothan, AL | $31,740 | $28,770 | $33,220 | $37,860 |
| 213 | Johnstown, PA | $31,620 | $26,540 | $34,090 | $36,800 |
| 214 | Lubbock, TX | $31,600 | $24,960 | $34,840 | $34,600 |
| 215 | Burlington, NC | $31,550 | $26,060 | $34,260 | $33,850 |
| 216 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $31,300 | $27,120 | $33,380 | $36,440 |
| 217 | New Orleans, LA | $31,200 | $23,090 | $35,190 | $33,690 |
| 218 | Williamsport, PA | $30,970 | $24,900 | $33,950 | $33,540 |
| 219 | Waco, TX | $30,890 | $23,150 | $34,690 | $33,380 |
| 220 | Rocky Mount, NC | $30,700 | $23,400 | $34,300 | $34,880 |
| 221 | Beaumont, TX | $30,680 | $22,150 | $34,880 | $34,070 |
| 222 | Corpus Christi, TX | $30,370 | $22,480 | $34,240 | $32,770 |
| 223 | Baton Rouge, LA | $30,240 | $22,010 | $34,300 | $33,310 |
| 224 | Tyler, TX | $29,910 | $23,170 | $33,220 | $32,460 |
| 225 | Pinehurst, NC | $29,600 | $23,880 | $32,410 | $33,510 |
| 226 | Wichita Falls, TX | $29,350 | $22,400 | $32,760 | $32,790 |
| 227 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $29,330 | $22,480 | $32,700 | $33,170 |
| 228 | Elizabethtown, KY | $28,640 | $22,030 | $31,910 | $31,620 |
| 229 | Lafayette, LA | $28,020 | $22,440 | $30,740 | $32,130 |
| 230 | Owensboro, KY | $27,980 | $22,320 | $30,760 | $31,580 |
| 231 | Charleston, WV | $27,850 | $22,030 | $30,700 | $31,390 |
| 232 | San Angelo, TX | $26,170 | $20,650 | $28,890 | $28,310 |
| 233 | El Paso, TX | $24,630 | $18,660 | $27,580 | $27,390 |
| 234 | San Juan, PR | $23,210 | $21,880 | $23,880 | N/A |
| 235 | Arecibo, PR | $22,360 | $21,840 | $22,610 | N/A |
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Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Sewing Machine Operator salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays sewing machine operators the most?
Appleton, WI, where the average (mean) wage is $51,830 a year, followed by Bend, OR ($47,990), San Jose, CA ($47,860), Santa Cruz, CA ($47,470). The national mean is $37,600 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do sewing machine operators earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Appleton, WI ($56,080 at national prices, $51,830 nominal), Hickory, NC ($50,400 at national prices, $44,600 nominal), Glens Falls, NY ($47,890 at national prices, $45,430 nominal).
How much do sewing machine operators make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $41,160; Los Angeles, CA: $40,350; Chicago, IL-IN: $39,020; Dallas, TX: $35,190; Houston, TX: $34,340 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do sewing machine operators earn the least?
Of the 235 metro areas with their own estimate, Arecibo, PR has the lowest mean wage, $22,360.