Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Salary
Production Occupations · 14K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$41,640
Median hourly
$20
Average annual
$45,140
Typical range
$29,920–$63,670
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers is $41,640 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $20 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments..
Most earn between $29,920 and $63,670 a year. There are roughly 14K people employed as tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers.
- Hourly
- $20.02
- Daily
- $160
- Weekly
- $801
- Bi-weekly
- $1,602
- Monthly
- $3,470
- Annual
- $41,640
$41,640 a year is around the 50th percentile for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewerss. The median is $41,640.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New York$60,210
- 2District of Columbia$57,720
- 3Washington$54,300
- 4Hawaii$53,680
- 5Colorado$51,110
- 6Massachusetts$50,470
- 7Nevada$49,150
- 8Pennsylvania$48,310
- 9Missouri$48,240
- 10Maryland$48,200
- 11Utah$48,040
- 12Oregon$47,450
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$63,050
- 2San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$59,020
- 3Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$57,020
- 4Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$55,000
- 5Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$54,300
- 6Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$53,970
- 7Urban Honolulu, HI$53,680
- 8Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$53,570
- 9Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$51,380
- 10Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$50,470
- 11Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$49,610
- 12San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$49,610
Related job titles
Employers advertise Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers roles under these titles.
Related occupations
What a Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers does
- Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.
- Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
- Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.
- Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.
- Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.
- Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
- Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves.
- Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers make?
- The median annual wage for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers is $41,640 ($20 per hour). Pay ranges from about $29,920 at the 10th percentile to $63,670 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $45,140, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewerss the most?
- New York has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $60,210.
- Is Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 14K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers do?
- Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.; Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.; Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit..