$ PaycheckDecoded

Sewing Machine Operator Salary

Sewing Machine Operators earn a median $36,670 a year nationally. Production Occupations

U.S. median
$36,670
$17.63 per hour
Range
$27,860 – $47,840
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
104,880
across the U.S.

Sewing Machine Operator take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Sewing Machine Operator
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$31,644
per year · effective tax rate 13.7%
$2,637Monthly
$1,319Twice a month
$1,217Every 2 weeks
$15.21Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,220
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,274
  • Medicare (1.45%)$532
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$31,644

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)$27,860$13.39$24,553
25th percentile$31,960$15.37$27,860
Median (50th)$36,670$17.63$31,644
75th percentile$42,830$20.59$36,594
90th percentile (top earners)$47,840$23.00$40,619

Best cities for sewing machine operators (after tax & cost of living)

#Metro areaMedianTake-homeReal value*Jobs
1Hickory, NC$46,540$38,227$43,2011,860
2Las Vegas, NV$48,190$40,901$40,813460
3Elkhart, IN$40,130$33,270$36,834470
4Denver, CO$45,210$37,225$35,191530
5Spartanburg, SC$38,530$31,984$35,128560
6Seattle, WA$44,350$37,815$34,0271,060
7Nashville, TN$37,500$32,311$33,539870
8Kansas City, MO$36,640$30,835$33,320600
9Milwaukee, WI$38,600$32,278$33,298560
10Grand Rapids, MI$38,480$31,714$33,192480
11Phoenix, AZ$40,910$34,237$33,1381,200
12Minneapolis, MN$42,300$34,724$33,1261,130
13Cleveland, OH$35,760$30,712$32,699980
14St. Louis, MO$36,800$30,957$32,556780
15Indianapolis, IN$36,910$30,778$32,162710
16Boston, MA$42,970$34,778$32,123850
17San Francisco, CA$44,880$36,873$31,894740
18Columbus, OH$35,420$30,448$31,893610
19Dalton, GA$34,180$28,492$31,713440
20Knoxville, TN$33,680$29,242$31,589520
21Providence, RI$38,160$32,027$31,469820
22Portland, OR$41,980$33,067$31,367630
23Detroit, MI$38,130$31,448$31,3541,150
24Washington, DC$41,410$34,134$31,349660
25Cincinnati, OH$34,680$29,874$31,324820

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Sewing Machine Operator salary by state

StateMedianTake-homeRangeJobs
Nevada $45,750$38,940 $30,730 – $55,550910
Alaska $43,850$37,413 $34,750 – $64,85040
Colorado $43,840$36,185 $35,250 – $55,050970
Maine $43,520$35,392 $32,760 – $49,460700
Washington $43,360$37,020 $37,180 – $50,1801,600
Massachusetts $42,910$34,733 $35,580 – $53,9901,540
New Hampshire $41,740$35,718 $28,850 – $56,380190
Vermont $40,850$34,068 $29,140 – $51,630220
Wisconsin $40,370$33,622 $30,860 – $50,0802,370
Arizona $40,210$33,692 $34,690 – $47,3101,420
Oregon $39,780$31,492 $33,770 – $51,2601,250
Hawaii $39,230$32,183 $32,210 – $60,810280
South Dakota $39,000$33,517 $28,350 – $47,030300
Minnesota $38,930$32,196 $33,940 – $51,9101,890
Rhode Island $38,670$32,418 $31,200 – $51,180270
New York $38,480$31,618 $33,790 – $55,2906,130
Indiana $38,440$31,962 $30,060 – $51,1803,400
South Carolina $38,250$31,776 $26,690 – $47,2102,460
California $37,940$31,665 $34,950 – $49,04013,240
Connecticut $37,780$31,761 $34,010 – $47,260480
Delaware $37,690$31,049 $31,200 – $47,33060
Mississippi $37,600$31,620 $26,840 – $44,2202,270
Michigan $37,490$30,961 $30,200 – $46,7903,210
Idaho $37,160$31,177 $28,790 – $49,280410
Nebraska $37,060$31,151 $29,610 – $44,450300
Montana $36,740$30,731 $24,290 – $50,370190
Wyoming $36,510$31,516 $30,440 – $46,610110
Illinois $36,220$29,635 $33,060 – $46,7204,060
New Jersey $36,130$30,663 $32,220 – $46,1702,750
Iowa $35,870$30,290 $28,890 – $47,270590
Maryland $35,860$29,654 $31,200 – $55,3901,390
Virginia $35,790$29,693 $27,470 – $46,7602,010
Ohio $35,760$30,712 $29,530 – $43,8904,100
North Dakota $35,700$30,865 $27,950 – $55,080110
Pennsylvania $35,640$29,723 $28,340 – $45,5103,390
Arkansas $35,630$29,632 $27,810 – $45,660860
Missouri $35,610$30,056 $29,550 – $43,2402,320
Utah $35,550$30,111 $29,870 – $45,5901,020
Kansas $35,360$29,417 $28,380 – $46,070650
North Carolina $35,160$29,537 $26,560 – $48,5708,290
New Mexico $34,840$29,643 $28,620 – $42,240220
Georgia $34,790$28,951 $26,950 – $42,1003,420
Tennessee $34,220$29,676 $19,130 – $46,8003,300
Oklahoma $33,340$28,014 $23,850 – $44,350580
Florida $33,270$28,912 $27,360 – $46,2306,790
Texas $31,000$27,089 $21,420 – $44,2906,950
Alabama $30,830$25,675 $23,830 – $41,3302,300
Louisiana $29,600$25,462 $21,180 – $38,100610
Kentucky $29,460$24,938 $22,350 – $39,8802,750
West Virginia $29,320$24,995 $21,960 – $44,780180

Frequently asked questions

How much does a sewing machine operator make?

The national median salary for sewing machine operators is $36,670 a year ($17.63 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $27,860 and the top 10% earn over $47,840. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays sewing machine operators the most?

Nevada has the highest median pay at $45,750. After taxes and local prices, Hickory, NC offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many sewing machine operators are there in the U.S.?

About 104,880 people work as sewing machine operators nationwide.

All 45 cities