Sewing Machine Operator Salary in Riverside, CA
Sewing Machine Operators in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn a median $39,570 a year — 8% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $32,888 take-home, or $2,741 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median sewing machine operator salary in Riverside, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,568
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,453
- Medicare (1.45%)$574
- California income tax$572
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$514
- Take-home pay$32,888
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Sewing Machine Operator pay by experience in Riverside, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,320 | $16.50 | $28,948 | $2,412 |
| 25th percentile | $36,380 | $17.49 | $30,494 | $2,541 |
| Median (50th) | $39,570 | $19.02 | $32,888 | $2,741 |
| 75th percentile | $43,730 | $21.02 | $36,010 | $3,001 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,690 | $22.93 | $38,968 | $3,247 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $39,570 buys in Riverside, CA
Prices in Riverside, CA are 6.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.29× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median sewing machine operator's $32,888 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,898 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Sewing Machine Operator jobs are less concentrated in Riverside, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.63), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for sewing machine operators, adjusted for cost of living
Riverside, CA ranks #28 of 45 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hickory, NC | $46,540 | $38,227 | $43,201 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $48,190 | $40,901 | $40,813 |
| 3 | Elkhart, IN | $40,130 | $33,270 | $36,834 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $45,210 | $37,225 | $35,191 |
| 5 | Spartanburg, SC | $38,530 | $31,984 | $35,128 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $44,350 | $37,815 | $34,027 |
| 7 | Nashville, TN | $37,500 | $32,311 | $33,539 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $36,640 | $30,835 | $33,320 |
| 28 | Riverside, CA | $39,570 | $32,888 | $30,898 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 45 metros →
Sewing Machine Operator salaries elsewhere in California
- San Francisco, CA — $44,880
- San Diego, CA — $39,070
- Los Angeles, CA — $37,130
Frequently asked questions
How much does a sewing machine operator make in Riverside, CA?
The median sewing machine operator salary in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area is $39,570 a year, or about $19.02 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,380 and $43,730.
What is a sewing machine operator’s take-home pay in Riverside, CA?
On the median $39,570 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $32,888 a year ($2,741 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,087 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Riverside, CA a good place to work as a sewing machine operator?
Pay here is 8% above the national median of $36,670. Local prices are 6.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,898 would in a typical U.S. city. Riverside, CA ranks #28 of 45 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a sewing machine operator afford rent in Riverside, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Riverside, CA is $1,777 a month ($2,201 for two bedrooms) — 65% of a median sewing machine operator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Riverside, CA
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator — $82,780
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $71,180
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $52,050
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $50,150
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $49,460
- Machinist — $49,440
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $48,320
- Cabinetmaker and Bench Carpenter — $47,880
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $47,420
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic — $47,370
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $47,300
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $47,280