51 Series · SOC 51-6052
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $41,640
- Median / year
- $63,670
- Top 10% earn
- -4.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 13,920
- US workers
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers earn a median of $41,640 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $41,640, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $29,920 (10th percentile) to $63,670 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 13,920 US workers. New York pays the most ($60,210), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers earn a median of $41,640, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 14% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #81 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 4.5% by 2033.
- $41,640
- Median annual wage
- Top 86%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #81 of 105
- in Production
- 2.1×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $60,210. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers (SOC 51-6052) pays a national median of $41,640 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $29,920 at the 10th percentile to $63,670 at the 90th, with a mean of $45,140 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 13,920 Americans work in this occupation across 43 reporting states and 67 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -4.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 5,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $60,210, which is +45% above the national figure. The top metro is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $63,050 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$41,640
per year
Median Hourly
$20.02/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$45,140
average
Employment
13,920
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$41,640 Bottom 14% higher than 14% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers sits on the slower-growing side at -4.5% growth and $41,640 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-4.5%
Declining
Annual Openings
5,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines.
- ▸ Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.
- ▸ Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
- ▸ Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.
- ▸ Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.
- ▸ Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.
- ▸ Trim excess material, using scissors.
- ▸ Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
- ▸ Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.
- ▸ Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$29,920
25th Percentile
$35,230
Median
$41,640
75th Percentile
$50,200
90th Percentile
$63,670
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 43 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $60,210 | +45% above national |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $57,720 | +39% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $54,300 | +30% above national |
| 4 | Hawaii | $53,680 | +29% above national |
| 5 | Colorado | $51,110 | +23% above national |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $50,470 | +21% above national |
| 7 | Nevada | $49,150 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $48,310 | +16% above national |
| 9 | Missouri | $48,240 | +16% above national |
| 10 | Maryland | $48,200 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Utah | $48,040 | +15% above national |
| 12 | Oregon | $47,450 | +14% above national |
| 13 | Minnesota | $46,180 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Virginia | $46,060 | +11% above national |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $45,970 | +10% above national |
| 16 | Delaware | $44,450 | +7% above national |
| 17 | California | $44,360 | +7% above national |
| 18 | New Mexico | $43,350 | +4% above national |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $43,300 | +4% above national |
| 20 | Georgia | $43,260 | +4% above national |
| 21 | New Jersey | $43,150 | +4% above national |
| 22 | Illinois | $42,330 | +2% above national |
| 23 | North Carolina | $41,260 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Arizona | $40,360 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Connecticut | $40,000 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Florida | $39,790 | 4% below national |
| 27 | Tennessee | $38,650 | 7% below national |
| 28 | Nebraska | $38,380 | 8% below national |
| 29 | Michigan | $37,500 | 10% below national |
| 30 | Ohio | $37,170 | 11% below national |
| 31 | Indiana | $36,450 | 12% below national |
| 32 | Texas | $36,260 | 13% below national |
| 33 | Montana | $34,710 | 17% below national |
| 34 | Louisiana | $33,560 | 19% below national |
| 35 | South Carolina | $33,030 | 21% below national |
| 36 | Kentucky | $32,530 | 22% below national |
| 37 | Iowa | $31,680 | 24% below national |
| 38 | Alabama | $31,200 | 25% below national |
| 39 | Arkansas | $30,990 | 26% below national |
| 40 | Kansas | $27,110 | 35% below national |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $26,300 | 37% below national |
| 42 | Mississippi | $25,340 | 39% below national |
| 43 | Puerto Rico | $23,190 | 44% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 67 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $63,050 | +51% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $59,020 | +42% above national |
| 3 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $57,020 | +37% above national |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $55,000 | +32% above national |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $54,300 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $53,970 | +30% above national |
| 7 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $53,680 | +29% above national |
| 8 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $53,570 | +29% above national |
| 9 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $51,380 | +23% above national |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $50,470 | +21% above national |
| 11 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $49,610 | +19% above national |
| 12 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $49,610 | +19% above national |
| 13 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $49,450 | +19% above national |
| 14 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $48,750 | +17% above national |
| 15 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $48,740 | +17% above national |
| 16 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $48,580 | +17% above national |
| 17 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $48,390 | +16% above national |
| 18 | Pittsburgh, PA | $48,310 | +16% above national |
| 19 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $48,200 | +16% above national |
| 20 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $48,040 | +15% above national |
| 21 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $47,590 | +14% above national |
| 22 | Richmond, VA | $47,370 | +14% above national |
| 23 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $46,260 | +11% above national |
| 24 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $46,230 | +11% above national |
| 25 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $46,060 | +11% above national |
| 26 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $45,630 | +10% above national |
| 27 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $45,510 | +9% above national |
| 28 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $44,610 | +7% above national |
| 29 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $44,470 | +7% above national |
| 30 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $44,240 | +6% above national |
| 31 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $44,130 | +6% above national |
| 32 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $43,870 | +5% above national |
| 33 | Rochester, NY | $43,720 | +5% above national |
| 34 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $43,580 | +5% above national |
| 35 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $43,420 | +4% above national |
| 36 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $41,810 | same as national |
| 37 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $41,640 | same as national |
| 38 | Madison, WI | $40,420 | 3% below national |
| 39 | Lancaster, PA | $40,180 | 4% below national |
| 40 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $40,080 | 4% below national |
| 41 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $39,610 | 5% below national |
| 42 | Asheville, NC | $39,150 | 6% below national |
| 43 | Columbus, OH | $39,080 | 6% below national |
| 44 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $38,910 | 7% below national |
| 45 | Jacksonville, FL | $38,830 | 7% below national |
| 46 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $38,720 | 7% below national |
| 47 | Cleveland, OH | $38,300 | 8% below national |
| 48 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $38,080 | 9% below national |
| 49 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $38,000 | 9% below national |
| 50 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $37,500 | 10% below national |
| 51 | Toledo, OH | $37,440 | 10% below national |
| 52 | Ogden, UT | $37,080 | 11% below national |
| 53 | Columbia, SC | $36,690 | 12% below national |
| 54 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $36,450 | 12% below national |
| 55 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $36,260 | 13% below national |
| 56 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $35,230 | 15% below national |
| 57 | Winston-Salem, NC | $34,810 | 16% below national |
| 58 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $34,750 | 17% below national |
| 59 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $34,390 | 17% below national |
| 60 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $33,560 | 19% below national |
| 61 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $33,380 | 20% below national |
| 62 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $33,370 | 20% below national |
| 63 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $33,350 | 20% below national |
| 64 | Baton Rouge, LA | $31,120 | 25% below national |
| 65 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $30,620 | 26% below national |
| 66 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $29,280 | 30% below national |
| 67 | Jackson, MS | $27,060 | 35% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers make? ▼
What state pays Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers? ▼
Is Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers a good career? ▼
How does Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $50,200/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $60,210/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.