SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-6052.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $29,920 | $2,493 | $575 | $14.38 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $35,230 | $2,936 | $678 | $16.94 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $41,640 | $3,470 | $801 | $20.02 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $50,200 | $4,183 | $965 | $24.14 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $63,670 | $5,306 | $1,224 | $30.61 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers is $41,640, which is 18% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 81 by median pay. With 13,920 jobs, it makes up about 0.9 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers pay by state
The highest median pay was in New York ($60,210), District of Columbia ($57,720) and Washington ($54,300). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($23,190), Mississippi ($25,340) and Oklahoma ($26,300). The most jobs were in California (2,180), Texas (1,540) and New York (1,160). The occupation is most concentrated in Utah, where its share of all jobs is 1.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1,160 | $60,210 | $64,200 | $28.95 |
| District of Columbia | 80 | $57,720 | $65,530 | $27.75 |
| Washington | 100 | $54,300 | $56,380 | $26.11 |
| Hawaii | not published | $53,680 | $52,070 | $25.81 |
| Colorado | 160 | $51,110 | $49,250 | $24.57 |
| Massachusetts | not published | $50,470 | $51,890 | $24.27 |
| Nevada | 100 | $49,150 | $46,390 | $23.63 |
| Pennsylvania | 610 | $48,310 | $45,230 | $23.23 |
| Missouri | 200 | $48,240 | $44,460 | $23.19 |
| Maryland | not published | $48,200 | $47,030 | $23.17 |
| Utah | 290 | $48,040 | $43,050 | $23.09 |
| Oregon | 100 | $47,450 | $46,730 | $22.81 |
| Minnesota | 290 | $46,180 | $45,630 | $22.20 |
| Virginia | 300 | $46,060 | $48,290 | $22.14 |
| New Hampshire | 60 | $45,970 | $47,050 | $22.10 |
| Delaware | not published | $44,450 | $44,640 | $21.37 |
| California | 2,180 | $44,360 | $49,200 | $21.33 |
| New Mexico | not published | $43,350 | $39,750 | $20.84 |
| Wisconsin | 210 | $43,300 | $41,590 | $20.82 |
| Georgia | 360 | $43,260 | $49,370 | $20.80 |
| New Jersey | 350 | $43,150 | $48,930 | $20.75 |
| Illinois | 320 | $42,330 | $45,350 | $20.35 |
| North Carolina | 740 | $41,260 | $41,860 | $19.84 |
| Arizona | not published | $40,360 | $42,180 | $19.40 |
| Connecticut | 210 | $40,000 | $43,680 | $19.23 |
| Florida | 920 | $39,790 | $43,650 | $19.13 |
| Tennessee | 170 | $38,650 | $35,830 | $18.58 |
| Nebraska | 40 | $38,380 | $39,710 | $18.45 |
| Michigan | 280 | $37,500 | $41,470 | $18.03 |
| Ohio | 510 | $37,170 | $39,370 | $17.87 |
| Indiana | 360 | $36,450 | $42,460 | $17.52 |
| Texas | 1,540 | $36,260 | $37,290 | $17.44 |
| Montana | 50 | $34,710 | $37,490 | $16.69 |
| Louisiana | 250 | $33,560 | $36,850 | $16.14 |
| South Carolina | 340 | $33,030 | $35,000 | $15.88 |
| Kentucky | 230 | $32,530 | $34,290 | $15.64 |
| Iowa | 130 | $31,680 | $34,280 | $15.23 |
| Alabama | 90 | $31,200 | $46,450 | $15.00 |
| Arkansas | 80 | $30,990 | $32,570 | $14.90 |
| Kansas | 40 | $27,110 | $27,360 | $13.03 |
| Oklahoma | not published | $26,300 | $31,110 | $12.65 |
| Mississippi | 160 | $25,340 | $29,890 | $12.19 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | $23,190 | $22,750 | $11.15 |
| Idaho | 110 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand$42,660 a year
- Food Batchmakers$42,290 a year
- Print Binding and Finishing Workers$42,290 a year
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers$41,600 a year
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$41,590 a year
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders$41,330 a year
Common questions
How much do Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $41,640 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $29,920 and the highest-paid 10% more than $63,670.
How many people work as Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers?
About 13,920 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.