CDCareer Decision

Sewing Machine Operators Salary in IA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Sewing Machine Operators in IA have a median annual salary of $35,870, with 590 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $28,890 at the 10th percentile to $47,270 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$35,870

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$17.25

Employment

590

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$28,890
10th
$31,740
25th
$35,870
Median
$39,660
75th
$47,270
90th

Local compared with national

IA

$35,870

Median annual · 2025

United States

$36,670

Median annual · 2025

The IA median is 2.2% below the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $800).

Top skills

  1. 1.MonitoringImportance 3.1
  2. 2.Active ListeningImportance 2.8
  3. 3.Critical ThinkingImportance 2.8
  4. 4.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 2.8
  5. 5.Operations MonitoringImportance 2.8
  6. 6.Quality Control AnalysisImportance 2.8
  7. 7.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 2.8
  8. 8.Time ManagementImportance 2.8
  9. 9.Reading ComprehensionImportance 2.6
  10. 10.Operation and ControlImportance 2.6
  11. 11.CoordinationImportance 2.5
  12. 12.Social PerceptivenessImportance 2.4

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Job zone
2

Technology used

  • Email software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • Web browser software

Common tasks

  • Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
  • Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.
  • Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.
  • Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.
  • Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
  • Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match.
  • Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections.
  • Cut excess material or thread from finished products.
  • Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements.
  • Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using rulers.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Sewing Machine Operators salary in other locations

Other occupations in IA