Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
Median $41,640
Occupation · SOC 51-6051
What sewers, hand earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
$36,480 median annual wage
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-6051.
See where your pay falls among sewers, hand nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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The median annual wage for sewers, hand was $36,480 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,680 and the highest-paid 10% more than $47,570. As an hourly rate, the median is $17.54. About 2,190 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Colorado ($47,600), Washington ($45,170) and California ($42,420). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Iowa.
What each step of the pay range for sewers, hand looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,680 | $13.31 | $2,307 | $2,034 |
| 25th percentile | $33,330 | $16.03 | $2,778 | $2,413 |
| Median | $36,480 | $17.54 | $3,040 | $2,624 |
| 75th percentile | $40,720 | $19.58 | $3,393 | $2,908 |
| 90th percentile | $47,570 | $22.87 | $3,964 | $3,367 |
18 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
$40,114 take-home in national prices
$37,681 take-home in national prices
$35,819 take-home in national prices
Where a median sewers, hand paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Not published | $47,600 | $37,430 | $51,260 | $38,831 | $37,681 |
| Washington | Not published | $45,170 | $40,000 | $45,200 | $37,848 | $35,367 |
| California | 110 | $42,420 | $34,360 | $52,800 | $35,034 | $31,642 |
| Iowa | 40 | $42,290 | $37,920 | $46,020 | $35,205 | $40,114 |
| South Carolina | Not published | $39,690 | $25,380 | $42,200 | $33,580 | $35,819 |
| Nevada | Not published | $39,440 | $38,420 | $52,000 | $33,870 | $33,877 |
| Massachusetts | 40 | $38,680 | $31,200 | $53,080 | $31,367 | $29,660 |
| Florida | 140 | $38,480 | $29,570 | $47,540 | $33,099 | $32,006 |
| Georgia | 120 | $38,210 | $33,790 | $47,160 | $31,724 | $32,945 |
| New York | 120 | $37,380 | $36,510 | $45,690 | $30,601 | $28,355 |
| North Carolina | 70 | $36,550 | $27,830 | $39,720 | $30,598 | $32,439 |
| Illinois | Not published | $36,480 | $36,430 | $44,880 | $29,831 | $29,843 |
| New Jersey | 40 | $36,400 | $34,980 | $40,280 | $30,563 | $28,090 |
| Pennsylvania | 230 | $35,560 | $31,130 | $35,560 | $29,636 | $30,373 |
| Indiana | Not published | $34,410 | $28,750 | $43,720 | $28,843 | $30,904 |
| Texas | 240 | $29,320 | $17,380 | $45,100 | $25,739 | $26,519 |
| Louisiana | Not published | $27,040 | $27,040 | $34,900 | $23,452 | $26,588 |
| Puerto Rico | 30 | $21,840 | $21,840 | $26,780 | — | — |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-6051. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).