Sewers, Hand
Sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. Includes weavers and stitchers.
What it pays
Sewers, Hand earn a median of $17.54/hr — about $36,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $13.31/hr; the top 10% earn $22.87/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Sewers, Hand earn a median of $17.54/hr — about $36,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $13.31/hr; the top 10% earn $22.87/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles.
- Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts.
- Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives.
- Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other materials.
- Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting.
- Fit garments on clients, altering as needed.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; much of the day is spent working solo; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 57.2% of sewers, hand are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a sewers, hand make?
- The median pay is $17.54 per hour — roughly $36,500 a year, with the real range running from about $13.31/hr (10th percentile) to $22.87/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a sewers, hand?
- The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
- What does a sewers, hand actually do all day?
- Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles. Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts. Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.