Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers is $41,640, or $20.02 per hour. About 13,920 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $60,210 in New York to $25,340 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 42 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $60,210 | $28.95 | 1,160 | 1.34 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $57,720 | $27.75 | 80 | 1.30 |
| 3 | Washington | $54,300 | $26.11 | 100 | 0.33 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $53,680 | $25.81 | — | — |
| 5 | Colorado | $51,110 | $24.57 | 160 | 0.62 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $50,470 | $24.27 | — | — |
| 7 | Nevada | $49,150 | $23.63 | 100 | 0.74 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $48,310 | $23.23 | 610 | 1.12 |
| 9 | Missouri | $48,240 | $23.19 | 200 | 0.75 |
| 10 | Maryland | $48,200 | $23.17 | — | — |
| 11 | Utah | $48,040 | $23.09 | 290 | 1.86 |
| 12 | Oregon | $47,450 | $22.81 | 100 | 0.57 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $46,180 | $22.20 | 290 | 1.09 |
| 14 | Virginia | $46,060 | $22.14 | 300 | 0.81 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $45,970 | $22.10 | 60 | 0.99 |
| 16 | Delaware | $44,450 | $21.37 | — | — |
| 17 | California | $44,360 | $21.33 | 2,180 | 1.34 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $43,350 | $20.84 | — | — |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $43,300 | $20.82 | 210 | 0.81 |
| 20 | Georgia | $43,260 | $20.80 | 360 | 0.82 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $43,150 | $20.75 | 350 | 0.93 |
| 22 | Illinois | $42,330 | $20.35 | 320 | 0.58 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $41,260 | $19.84 | 740 | 1.68 |
| 24 | Arizona | $40,360 | $19.40 | — | — |
| 25 | Connecticut | $40,000 | $19.23 | 210 | 1.36 |
| 26 | Florida | $39,790 | $19.13 | 920 | 1.04 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $38,650 | $18.58 | 170 | 0.57 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $38,380 | $18.45 | 40 | 0.41 |
| 29 | Michigan | $37,500 | $18.03 | 280 | 0.72 |
| 30 | Ohio | $37,170 | $17.87 | 510 | 1.02 |
| 31 | Indiana | $36,450 | $17.52 | 360 | 1.27 |
| 32 | Texas | $36,260 | $17.44 | 1,540 | 1.22 |
| 33 | Montana | $34,710 | $16.69 | 50 | 1.19 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $33,560 | $16.14 | 250 | 1.47 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $33,030 | $15.88 | 340 | 1.65 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $32,530 | $15.64 | 230 | 1.31 |
| 37 | Iowa | $31,680 | $15.23 | 130 | 0.92 |
| 38 | Alabama | $31,200 | $15.00 | 90 | 0.49 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $30,990 | $14.90 | 80 | 0.68 |
| 40 | Kansas | $27,110 | $13.03 | 40 | 0.30 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $26,300 | $12.65 | — | — |
| 42 | Mississippi | $25,340 | $12.19 | 160 | 1.58 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers make?
The median annual wage for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in the United States is $41,640, or $20.02 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $29,920, and the top 10% earn $63,670.
How many tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers are employed in the U.S.?
About 13,920 people work as tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers nationwide.
Which state pays tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers the most?
New York pays the most at a median of $60,210, followed by District of Columbia ($57,720) and Washington ($54,300).
Which state pays tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $25,340.
Where are tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Utah at 1.86×.