Average Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers is $40,860 per year. The middle 50% earn between $33,480 and $49,780, with 16,290 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 46 states and 76 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $27,110
- 25th
- $33,480
- Median
- $40,860
- 75th
- $49,780
- 90th
- $62,490
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers from 2024 to 2034. This occupation is projected to shrink. Workers may face more competition for fewer openings, and the role may see automation or consolidation pressure.
- Projected growth
- -4.5%
- -1,700 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 5,000
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
There are no formal educational requirements for entry. Much of the training happens through experience on the job.
Where Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is District of Columbia at $57,380, about 40.4% above the national median. At the metro level, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ leads with a median of $60,320.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $57,380 | N/A |
| New York | $57,280 | 1,400 |
| Maryland | $52,000 | 260 |
| Washington | $51,010 | 140 |
| Oklahoma | $50,710 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,250 | 500 |
| Connecticut | $47,360 | 180 |
| Hawaii | $46,990 | N/A |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $60,320 | 1,630 |
| Boulder, CO | $52,570 | 40 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $52,530 | 70 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $52,000 | 200 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $51,120 | 220 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $51,010 | N/A |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $50,350 | 230 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,770 | 70 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers rose from $31,520 to $40,860, a gain of +29.6% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $31,520 would need to be worth $38,675 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $40,860 is $2,185 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +5.7% in purchasing power.
Real wages have outpaced inflation by 5.7%, a modest but real gain in purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +29.6%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- +5.7%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $31,520
- 2020
- $32,640
- 2021
- $31,420
- 2022
- $34,280
- 2023
- $36,650
- 2024
- $40,860
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Sewing Machine Operators
- $36,000
Common salary questions for Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Tailors, Dressmakers, And Custom Sewers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.