Production Occupations

Sewing Machine Operators Salary in the United States

DOL-verified data from 156 government filings, with BLS survey comparison.

DOL Median Salary
$21,008
BLS median: $36,000
DOL Median Salary
$21,008
From 156 DOL filings
BLS Median Salary
$36,000
BLS OEWS 2024 survey
Total Employers
51
Companies with DOL filings
Total Employment
109,590
Estimated US workers (BLS)

DOL Filings vs BLS Survey

What Employers File with DOL

$21,008
DOL-Filed Salary Range
$17,056$17,722$21,008$21,611$36,400

This figure comes from 156 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.

What BLS Says the Market Pays

$36,000
BLS Survey Salary Range
$26,860$31,200$36,000$40,810$47,060

This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 109,590 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.

DOL-filed salaries are 41.6% lower than BLS survey data, which may reflect that sponsored positions concentrate in high-cost locations or experience-intensive roles.

Salary Distribution

Top Paying Employers for Sewing Machine Operators

Ranked by median salary from DOL filings
RankEmployerMedian SalaryFilingsvs Market
1Fred's Studio Tents & Canopies, Inc.$21,61117-40%
2SPN INVESTMENTS DBA EINFLATABLES$21,0087-41.6%
3SPN INVESTMENTS, INC. DBA EINFLATABLES$21,0085-41.6%
4NORA MANUFACTURING INC.$18,1799-49.5%
5RUNNERS DIVERSIFIED INCORPORATED$17,72262-50.8%

View all companies hiring Sewing Machine Operators

Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs NationalFilingsEmployers
Waterford, NY$21,611+2.9%151

Salary by State

StateMedianvs NationalFilings
Nebraska$36,400+0.1%1
Colorado$30,472-21%1
Florida$30,000-4.3%1
Massachusetts$26,239-35%2
Illinois$24,128-32.1%1
Oregon$22,360-41.1%1
New York$21,611-42.8%15
California$21,008-43.2%10
Virginia$19,302-42%3
New Jersey$18,054-48.5%1
Texas$18,000-40.9%1

Salary Trend - DOL Data

Education Requirements

From PERM filings

For Sewing Machine Operators positions, 0% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 0% required a Master's degree, and 100% required no formal degree.

Education by Top Employer

Most common minimum education from PERM filings
EmployerMost Common EducationMedian Salary
RUNNERS DIVERSIFIED INCORPORATEDHigh School$17,722
Fred's Studio Tents & Canopies, Inc.None$21,611
NORA MANUFACTURING INC.None$18,179
SPN INVESTMENTS DBA EINFLATABLESNone$21,008
SPN INVESTMENTS, INC. DBA EINFLATABLESNone$21,008

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Sewing Machine Operators make?

Based on 156 DOL filings, the median salary for a Sewing Machine Operators is $21,008, ranging from $17,722 to $21,611.

What is the highest salary for a Sewing Machine Operators?

The 90th percentile salary is $47,060 according to BLS data.

Which city pays the most for Sewing Machine Operators?

Based on DOL filings, Waterford, NY offers the highest median at $21,611.

Does this data include all Sewing Machine Operators salaries or only visa-sponsored workers?

DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Sewing Machine Operators positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.

Salary Check

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Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.