Sewing Machine Operators · Illinois

Sewing Machine Operators Salary in Illinois

Sewing Machine Operators in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $36,220 —1.2% below the national median of $36,670. That ranks IL #28 of 50 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$36,220
Median hourly
$17.41
Entry level (P10)
$33,060
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$46,720
90th percentile
Employment
4,060
0.7 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-1.2%
U.S. $36,670

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$33,060
$34,860
$36,220
$42,100
$33,060$36,220$46,720
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $36,220.

Employment concentration (0.99×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for sewing machine operators

All 50 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Nevada$45,750$21.999100.87
2Alaska$43,850$21.08400.19
3Colorado$43,840$21.089700.50
4Maine$43,520$20.927001.63
5Washington$43,360$20.851,6000.67
6Massachusetts$42,910$20.631,5400.63
7New Hampshire$41,740$20.071900.41
8Vermont$40,850$19.642201.09
9Wisconsin$40,370$19.412,3701.19
10Arizona$40,210$19.331,4200.65

Related occupations in Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

Frequently asked questions

How much do sewing machine operators make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for sewing machine operators in Illinois is $36,220, or $17.41 per hour. That is 1.2% below the national median of $36,670.

What is the entry-level sewing machine operators salary in Illinois?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $33,060 per year ($15.90/hour). The 25th percentile is $34,860.

How many people work as sewing machine operators in Illinois?

About 4,060 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 0.7 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for sewing machine operators?

Illinois ranks #28 of 50 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.99x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays sewing machine operators the most?

Nevada has the highest median wage at $45,750 per year, followed by Alaska ($43,850) and Colorado ($43,840).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes