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What Do Sewing Machine Operator Do?
Career Description Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
List of Sewing Machine Operator Job Duties
- Record quantities of materials processed.
- Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections.
- Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.
- Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
- Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using rulers.
- Mount attachments, such as needles, cutting blades, or pattern plates, and adjust machine guides according to specifications.
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What a Sewing Machine Operator Should Know
These are the skills Sewing Machine Operators say are the most useful in their careers:
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Stitching Machine Operator
- Lockstitch Back Maker
- Seamstress
- Cone Sewer
- Hosiery Repairer
Job Opportunities for Sewing Machine Operators
In the United States, there were 153,900 jobs for Sewing Machine Operator in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Sewing Machine Operator. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 12,300 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Sewing Machine Operator are Nevada, Alaska, and Wyoming. Watch out if you plan on working in New York, Pennsylvania, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Sewing Machine Operator Make?
The typical yearly salary for Sewing Machine Operators is somewhere between $19,040 and $37,880.
Sewing Machine Operators who work in Alaska, District of Columbia, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Sewing Machine Operators in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $23,960 |
Alaska | $38,270 |
Arizona | $29,940 |
Arkansas | $24,270 |
California | $26,670 |
Colorado | $28,820 |
Connecticut | $35,120 |
Delaware | $28,530 |
District of Columbia | $35,830 |
Florida | $27,060 |
Georgia | $24,760 |
Hawaii | $27,450 |
Idaho | $25,360 |
Illinois | $29,010 |
Indiana | $28,180 |
Iowa | $28,320 |
Kansas | $28,530 |
Kentucky | $23,530 |
Louisiana | $24,540 |
Maine | $29,910 |
Maryland | $27,910 |
Massachusetts | $30,980 |
Michigan | $27,860 |
Minnesota | $29,610 |
Mississippi | $27,910 |
Missouri | $24,390 |
Montana | $27,750 |
Nebraska | $25,570 |
Nevada | $29,340 |
New Hampshire | $31,700 |
New Jersey | $24,370 |
New Mexico | $23,600 |
New York | $30,020 |
North Carolina | $27,990 |
North Dakota | $26,960 |
Ohio | $26,190 |
Oklahoma | $23,120 |
Oregon | $28,290 |
Pennsylvania | $26,670 |
Rhode Island | $30,870 |
South Carolina | $24,570 |
South Dakota | $27,130 |
Tennessee | $24,470 |
Texas | $23,850 |
Utah | $27,500 |
Vermont | $27,500 |
Virginia | $25,640 |
Washington | $33,320 |
West Virginia | $25,390 |
Wisconsin | $28,750 |
Wyoming | $28,910 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Sewing Machine Operators
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Sewing Machine Operators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Email software
Becoming a Sewing Machine Operator
Education needed to be a Sewing Machine Operator:
What work experience do I need to become a Sewing Machine Operator?
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.