How much does a sewing machine operator make?

The median pay is $17.63 per hour — roughly $36,500 a year, with the real range running from about $13.39/hr (10th percentile) to $23.00/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a sewing machine operator?

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 sewing machine operator actually do all day?

Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions. Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components. Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.

Manufacturing & Production

Sewing Machine Operators

Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.

What it pays
Sewing Machine Operators earn a median of $17.63/hr — about $36,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $13.39/hr; the top 10% earn $23.00/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.
Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.
Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.
Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match.

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. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 11.2% of sewing machine operators are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

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Related careers

Quick questions

How much does a sewing machine operator make?: The median pay is $17.63 per hour — roughly $36,500 a year, with the real range running from about $13.39/hr (10th percentile) to $23.00/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a sewing machine operator?: 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 sewing machine operator actually do all day?: Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions. Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components. Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.

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.