Sewing Machine Operator Salary in St. Louis, MO
Sewing Machine Operators in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $36,800 a year — 0% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,957 take-home, or $2,580 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median sewing machine operator salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,236
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,282
- Medicare (1.45%)$534
- Missouri income tax$792
- Take-home pay$30,957
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Sewing Machine Operator pay by experience in St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,360 | $15.08 | $26,841 | $2,237 |
| 25th percentile | $35,270 | $16.96 | $29,799 | $2,483 |
| Median (50th) | $36,800 | $17.69 | $30,957 | $2,580 |
| 75th percentile | $39,730 | $19.10 | $33,173 | $2,764 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,480 | $21.38 | $36,766 | $3,064 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,800 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median sewing machine operator's $30,957 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,556 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 about as common in St. Louis, MO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.87).
Best-paying cities for sewing machine operators, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #14 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 |
| 14 | St. Louis, MO | $36,800 | $30,957 | $32,556 |
*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 Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $36,640
Frequently asked questions
How much does a sewing machine operator make in St. Louis, MO?
The median sewing machine operator salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $36,800 a year, or about $17.69 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,270 and $39,730.
What is a sewing machine operator’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $36,800 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $30,957 a year ($2,580 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $792 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a sewing machine operator?
Pay here is 0% above the national median of $36,670. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,556 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #14 of 45 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a sewing machine operator afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median sewing machine operator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $75,210
- Machinist — $62,210
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $62,090
- Tool and Die Maker — $59,610
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator — $57,850
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $56,320
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $54,610
- Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender — $53,500
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $53,360
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $52,630
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $52,310
- Food Batchmaker — $52,000