Production
Sewing Machine Operators
Also called: Line Closer, Machine Operator, Prototype Sewer, Sample Maker
US median pay
$36,670
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-15.1%
declining
Openings a year (US)
9,800
117,200 employed
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
- Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Time Management2.8/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.8/5
- Operations Monitoring2.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.8/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.8/5
- Operation and Control2.6/5
- Coordination2.5/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.4/5
Knowledge
- English Language2.7/5
- Production and Processing2.5/5
- Mathematics2.3/5
- Education and Training2.2/5
- Customer and Personal Service2.2/5
- Public Safety and Security2.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): No formal educational credential.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Less than high school53%
- High school diploma41%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.