Sewing machine operators

Detailed Occupation

Add Comparison

2020 Workforce

150k

Average Age

46.8

Estimated Job Growth

−9.35%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$26,512

Average Male Salary

$30,601

Average Female Salary

$25,004

About

Sewing machine operators are most often employed by the Cut and sew, and apparel accessories and other apparel manufacturing industry. The average yearly wage for Sewing machine operators was $26,512 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Sewing machine operators by wage are Landscaping and groundskeeping workers, Transportation service attendants, and Barbers.

Sewing machine operators are part of the Production Occupations, along with Firstline supervisors of production & operating workers, Electrical, electronics, & electromechanical assemblers, Engine & other machine assemblers, Structural metal fabricators & fitters, Other assemblers and fabricators, and 55 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Sewing machine operators are LA City (East Central/Silver Lake, Echo Park & Westlake) PUMA, CA, LA City (Southeast/East Vernon) PUMA, CA, and Whitfield County PUMA, GA. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Sewing machine operators are LA City (Southeast/East Vernon) PUMA, CA, LA City (East Central/Silver Lake, Echo Park & Westlake) PUMA, CA, and Whitfield County PUMA, GA.

Production Occupations Production, Transportation, & Material Moving Occupations

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Sewing machine operators and on wages and locations for those in the field. Cut and sew, and apparel accessories and other apparel manufacturing is the industry that employs the most Sewing machine operators, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Sewing machine operators, by average wage, is Lessors of real estate, and offices of real estate agents and brokers. Sewing machine operators are paid most in Watauga, Ashe, Yancey, Avery & Mitchell Counties PUMA, NC but are relatively concentrated in LA City (Southeast/East Vernon) PUMA, CA.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$26,512

AVERAGE SALARY

± $1,678

In 2020, Sewing machine operators earned an average of $26,512, $29,442 less than than the average national salary of $55,954.

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers make somewhat more than Sewing machine operators while Transportation service attendants make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Sewing machine operators as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.321

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Sewing machine operators had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.321, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Sewing machine operators (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Sewing machine operators.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Sewing machine operators

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Sewing machine operators.

Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Sewing machine operators, by number of employees, are Cut and sew, and apparel accessories and other apparel manufacturing, Textile product mills, except carpets & rugs , Fabric mills, except knitting mills, Furniture & related product manufacturing, Carpet & rug mills, Drycleaning & laundry services, Fiber, yarn, & thread mills, Medical equipment & supplies manufacturing, Personal & household goods repair & maintenance, Clothing stores, and Not specified manufacturing industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Sewing machine operators, by average wage, are Lessors of real estate, and offices of real estate agents and brokers, Insurance carriers, and Nondepository credit & related activities.

Industries by Share

150k

2020 Workforce

± 9,499

−5.55%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 9.36%

The number of people employed as Sewing machine operators has been declining at a rate of −5.55%, from 158,644 people in 2019 to 149,836 people in 2020.

This graphic shows the share of Sewing machine operators employed by various industries. Cut and sew, and apparel accessories and other apparel manufacturing employs the largest share of Sewing machine operators at 38%, followed by Textile product mills, except carpets & rugs with 13.3% and Fabric mills, except knitting mills with 9.35%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Sewing machine operators in the US. The average age of male Sewing machine operators in the workforce is 41.6 and of female Sewing machine operators is 48.7, and the most common race/ethnicity for Sewing machine operators is White (Non-Hispanic).

Composition by Sex

40.4k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 4,932

109k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 8,120

73.1% of Sewing machine operators are Female, making them the more common sex in the occupation. This chart shows the sex breakdown of Sewing machine operators.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Sewing machine operators

White (Non-Hispanic)
White (Hispanic)
Other (Hispanic)

36.9% of Sewing machine operators are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 19.5% of Sewing machine operators, White (Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Sewing machine operators.

Age by Sex

41.6

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 1.59

48.7

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 1.01

The median age of Sewing machine operators is 46.8, and Male employees are generally 7.13 years younger than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Sewing machine operators from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Sewing machine operators is Business but a relatively high number of Sewing machine operators hold a major in Human Sciences.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Sewing machine operators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sewing machine operators need many skills, but most especially Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, and Operation and Control. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Sewing machine operators need more than the average amount of Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, and Equipment Maintenance.

Radar Distribution

Bar Chart

Projections

Projections on job growth for Sewing Machine Operators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Sewing Machine Operators are expected to see a growth of −9.35% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow less than the national average.

Job Growth

−9.35%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Sewing Machine Operators. This profession is expected to grow less than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.