Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-6051

Sewers, Hand

Median pay sits 51% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Tool and Die Makers, Power Plant Operators).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Sewers, Hand: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Tool and Die Makers ($64K) , Power Plant Operators ($102K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Sewers, Hand publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-6051 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Fit garments on clients, altering as needed
  2. 2. Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles
  3. 3. Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts
  4. 4. Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives
  5. 5. Smooth seams with heated irons, flat bones, or rubbing sticks
  6. 6. Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other…
  7. 7. Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting
  8. 8. Draw and cut patterns according to specifications
  9. 9. Fold, twist, stretch, or drape material, and secure articles in preparation for sewing
  10. 10. Sew buttonholes, or add lace or other trimming
  11. 11. Tie, knit, weave or knot ribbon, yarn, or decorative materials

Sewers, Hand: O*NET ranks Judgment and Decision Making first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-6051 - lead skill Judgment and Decision Making at 2.9 ; lead knowledge Customer and Personal Service. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Judgment and Decision Making 2.9
  2. 2. Time Management 2.8
  3. 3. Active Listening 2.6
  4. 4. Speaking 2.6
  5. 5. Monitoring 2.6
  6. 6. Complex Problem Solving 2.6
  7. 7. Reading Comprehension 2.5
  8. 8. Critical Thinking 2.5

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Customer and Personal Service 3.4
  2. 2. Administration and Management 3.0
  3. 3. English Language 2.9
  4. 4. Mechanical 2.5
  5. 5. Education and Training 2.4
  6. 6. Mathematics 2.3
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-51%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $36,480/yr
$36K
National median
↓ -7%
Growth 2024-2034
700
Annual openings
2,190
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education No formal educational credential

Top Paying States for Sewers, Hand

1. Washington $45,170
2. California $42,420
3. Georgia $38,210
4. Massachusetts $38,680
5. Nevada $39,440
6. New York $37,380
7. Florida $38,480
8. South Carolina $39,690
9. Colorado $47,600
10. Iowa $42,290

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  2. 2. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  3. 3. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  4. 4. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  5. 5. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers $68,120
  6. 6. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Sewers, Hand sits 51% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $36,480.

Employment Projections expect -7% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 700 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Washington at $45,170. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Sewers, Hand pay-rank #102 in Production Occupations

On the Production Occupations median table (105 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Sewers, Hand lands at #102, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Sewers, Hand pays 51% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Sewers, Hand salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-6051

Washington · top state for Sewers, Hand

$45K published median

California · #2 state pay

$42K · behind Washington

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Sewers, Hand · $123K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Sewers, Hand · $62K

Compare Sewers, Hand

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Sewers, Hand with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Sewers, Hand

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Sewers, Hand land on the Production Occupations median table? ▼
Sewers, Hand is pay-rank #102 of 105 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Sewing Machine Operators ($37K), Bakers ($37K), Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other ($37K), Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders ($36K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do sewers, hand do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Sewers, Hand. Leading ones include: Fit garments on clients, altering as needed; Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles; Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts; Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for sewers, hand? ▼
For SOC 51-6051, O*NET importance scores lead with Judgment and Decision Making (2.9), Time Management (2.8), Active Listening (2.6), Speaking (2.6). Knowledge areas emphasize Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management, English Language. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Sewers, Hand? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $36,480 as the national median for Sewers, Hand. The published 10th-90th range is $27,680 to $47,570. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Sewers, Hand? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Sewers, Hand is -7%. Projected annual openings: about 700. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Sewers, Hand? ▼
BLS assigns No formal educational credential as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Sewers, Hand. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Sewers, Hand? ▼
Washington ($45,170), California ($42,420), Georgia ($38,210) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Sewers, Hand card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-6051. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Sewers, Hand. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics