Sewing Machine Operator salary in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Sewing Machine Operators in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median of $37,780 a year ($18.16 an hour), based on BLS data for 6,700 workers.
Pay ranges from $33,790 for the lowest-paid 10% to $51,360 for the top 10%. That is 3% higher than the national median of $36,670. Pay here is 2% lower than the New York statewide median of $38,480. There are 0.71 sewing machine operators per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $41,160, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for sewing machine operators in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,790 | $16.25 |
| 25th percentile | $36,290 | $17.45 |
| Median | $37,780 | $18.16 |
| 75th percentile | $44,880 | $21.58 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $51,360 | $24.69 |
| Average (mean) | $41,160 | $19.79 |
Half of sewing machine operators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,148.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,574.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,453.08 |
| Weekly | $726.54 |
| Hourly | $18.16 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $37,780 salary, see how much house you can afford in New York at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Sewing Machine Operator salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Glens Falls, NY | $50,000 | 40 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $43,650 | 130 |
| Binghamton, NY | $41,330 | 160 |
| Kingston, NY | $39,370 | 30 |
| Syracuse, NY | $37,850 | 80 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $37,790 | 110 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $37,620 | 50 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $37,180 | 240 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $36,150 | 170 |
| Rochester, NY | $35,930 | 400 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $35,820 | 340 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $35,360 | 1,400 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $32,480 | 90 |
| Vineland, NJ | $32,220 | 50 |
Highest-paying states for sewing machine operators
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $45,750 |
| Alaska | $43,850 |
| Colorado | $43,840 |
| Maine | $43,520 |
| Washington | $43,360 |
| Massachusetts | $42,910 |
| New Hampshire | $41,740 |
| Vermont | $40,850 |
| Wisconsin | $40,370 |
| Arizona | $40,210 |
See Sewing Machine Operator pay in every state or the New York statewide figures.
Related jobs in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $35,910 | $17.26 |
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $37,920 | $18.23 |
| Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $63,050 | $30.31 |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $101,250 | $48.68 |
| Upholsterer | $46,890 | $22.54 |
| Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other | $38,830 | $18.67 |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $45,960 | $22.10 |
| Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $39,030 | $18.77 |
| Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $44,420 | $21.36 |
| Sewers, Hand | $37,380 | $17.97 |
| Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $41,350 | $19.88 |
| Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,230 | $22.71 |
| Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | $48,530 | $23.33 |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | $47,930 | $23.04 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-6031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a sewing machine operator make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median salary for sewing machine operators in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $37,780 a year, or $18.16 an hour. Pay ranges from $33,790 for the lowest-paid 10% to $51,360 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid sewing machine operators make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The top 10% of sewing machine operators in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn at least $51,360 a year. The top 25% earn $44,880 or more.
What is the starting pay for sewing machine operators in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $33,790 a year, and a quarter of sewing machine operators earn $36,290 or less.
How many sewing machine operators work in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
About 6,700 sewing machine operators are employed in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, not counting the self-employed.