Sewing Machine Operators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for sewing machine operators is $36,670, or $17.63 per hour. About 104,880 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $45,750 in Nevada to $29,320 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $45,750 | $21.99 | 910 | 0.87 |
| 2 | Alaska | $43,850 | $21.08 | 40 | 0.19 |
| 3 | Colorado | $43,840 | $21.08 | 970 | 0.50 |
| 4 | Maine | $43,520 | $20.92 | 700 | 1.63 |
| 5 | Washington | $43,360 | $20.85 | 1,600 | 0.67 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $42,910 | $20.63 | 1,540 | 0.63 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $41,740 | $20.07 | 190 | 0.41 |
| 8 | Vermont | $40,850 | $19.64 | 220 | 1.09 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $40,370 | $19.41 | 2,370 | 1.19 |
| 10 | Arizona | $40,210 | $19.33 | 1,420 | 0.65 |
| 11 | Oregon | $39,780 | $19.12 | 1,250 | 0.94 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $39,230 | $18.86 | 280 | 0.66 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $39,000 | $18.75 | 300 | 0.96 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $38,930 | $18.72 | 1,890 | 0.95 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $38,670 | $18.59 | 270 | 0.80 |
| 16 | New York | $38,480 | $18.50 | 6,130 | 0.94 |
| 17 | Indiana | $38,440 | $18.48 | 3,400 | 1.58 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $38,250 | $18.39 | 2,460 | 1.58 |
| 19 | California | $37,940 | $18.24 | 13,240 | 1.08 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $37,780 | $18.16 | 480 | 0.42 |
| 21 | Delaware | $37,690 | $18.12 | 60 | 0.19 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $37,600 | $18.08 | 2,270 | 2.89 |
| 23 | Michigan | $37,490 | $18.02 | 3,210 | 1.08 |
| 24 | Idaho | $37,160 | $17.87 | 410 | 0.71 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $37,060 | $17.82 | 300 | 0.44 |
| 26 | Montana | $36,740 | $17.66 | 190 | 0.54 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $36,510 | $17.55 | 110 | 0.59 |
| 28 | Illinois | $36,220 | $17.41 | 4,060 | 0.99 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $36,130 | $17.37 | 2,750 | 0.95 |
| 30 | Iowa | $35,870 | $17.25 | 590 | 0.56 |
| 31 | Maryland | $35,860 | $17.24 | 1,390 | 0.75 |
| 32 | Virginia | $35,790 | $17.21 | 2,010 | 0.72 |
| 33 | Ohio | $35,760 | $17.19 | 4,100 | 1.10 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $35,700 | $17.16 | 110 | 0.37 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $35,640 | $17.13 | 3,390 | 0.83 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $35,630 | $17.13 | 860 | 0.98 |
| 37 | Missouri | $35,610 | $17.12 | 2,320 | 1.17 |
| 38 | Utah | $35,550 | $17.09 | 1,020 | 0.87 |
| 39 | Kansas | $35,360 | $17.00 | 650 | 0.67 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $35,160 | $16.91 | 8,290 | 2.49 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $34,840 | $16.75 | 220 | 0.37 |
| 42 | Georgia | $34,790 | $16.72 | 3,420 | 1.04 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $34,220 | $16.45 | 3,300 | 1.49 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $33,340 | $16.03 | 580 | 0.50 |
| 45 | Florida | $33,270 | $16.00 | 6,790 | 1.01 |
| 46 | Texas | $31,000 | $14.90 | 6,950 | 0.73 |
| 47 | Alabama | $30,830 | $14.82 | 2,300 | 1.61 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $29,600 | $14.23 | 610 | 0.47 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $29,460 | $14.17 | 2,750 | 2.04 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $29,320 | $14.10 | 180 | 0.38 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do sewing machine operators make?
The median annual wage for sewing machine operators in the United States is $36,670, or $17.63 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $27,860, and the top 10% earn $47,840.
How many sewing machine operators are employed in the U.S.?
About 104,880 people work as sewing machine operators nationwide.
Which state pays sewing machine operators the most?
Nevada pays the most at a median of $45,750, followed by Alaska ($43,850) and Colorado ($43,840).
Which state pays sewing machine operators the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $29,320.
Where are sewing machine operators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Mississippi at 2.89×.