Sewers, Hand Career, Salary and Skills
Sewers, Hand have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $36,480 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 2,190. Wage data is published for 24 locations.
Occupation description
Sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. Includes weavers and stitchers.
O*NET code
51-6051.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$36,480
Hourly median
$17.54
Employment
2,190
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$27,680
10th
$33,330
25th
$36,480
Median
$40,720
75th
$47,570
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Time Management | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Active Listening | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Speaking | 2.62 | 1.88 |
| Monitoring | 2.62 | 2.38 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Active Learning | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Operation and Control | 2.25 | 2.12 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other materials.
- Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting.
- Fit garments on clients, altering as needed.
- Smooth seams with heated irons, flat bones, or rubbing sticks.
- Draw and cut patterns according to specifications.
Technology
- Adobe FreeHand MX
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
- Drawing software
- Embroidery design software
- Graphics digitizing software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Template design software
Sewers, Hand salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Sewers, Hand Salary in TXMedian $29,320 · Employment 240
- Sewers, Hand Salary in PAMedian $35,560 · Employment 230
- Sewers, Hand Salary in New York, NYMedian $37,380 · Employment 140
- Sewers, Hand Salary in FLMedian $38,480 · Employment 140
- Sewers, Hand Salary in NYMedian $37,380 · Employment 120
- Sewers, Hand Salary in GAMedian $38,210 · Employment 120
- Sewers, Hand Salary in CAMedian $42,420 · Employment 110
- Sewers, Hand Salary in NCMedian $36,550 · Employment 70
- Sewers, Hand Salary in NJMedian $36,400 · Employment 40
- Sewers, Hand Salary in IAMedian $42,290 · Employment 40
- Sewers, Hand Salary in MAMedian $38,680 · Employment 40
- Sewers, Hand Salary in PRMedian $21,840 · Employment 30
Related careers
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersNational median $65,380
- Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersNational median $51,330
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $46,570
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal WorkersNational median $52,540
- Furniture FinishersNational median $44,540
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandNational median $42,660
- Print Binding and Finishing WorkersNational median $42,290
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating WorkersNational median $41,600
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.