Sewing Machine Operators Salary
The median pay for a sewing machine operators in Birmingham, AL is $31,840/year ($15.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $34,745 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,266/month, about 58.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $32K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About sewing machine operators
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What this looks like in Birmingham
Pay for sewing machine operators in Birmingham runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,266/month, which is 58% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for sewing machine operatorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for sewing machine operators in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $33K | $38K |
| Huntsville | $36K | $39K |
| Dothan | $30K | $36K |
| Anniston-Oxford | $32K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level sewing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Sewing Machine Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Sewing Machine Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $46K | +25% | 910 |
| Alaska | $44K | +20% | 40 |
| Colorado | $44K | +20% | 970 |
| Maine | $44K | +19% | 700 |
| Washington | $43K | +18% | 1,600 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | +17% | 1,540 |
| New Hampshire | $42K | +14% | 190 |
| Vermont | $41K | +11% | 220 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | +10% | 2,370 |
| Arizona | $40K | +10% | 1,420 |
| Oregon | $40K | +8% | 1,250 |
| Hawaii | $39K | +7% | 280 |
| South Dakota | $39K | +6% | 300 |
| Minnesota | $39K | +6% | 1,890 |
| Rhode Island | $39K | +5% | 270 |
| New York | $38K | +5% | 6,130 |
| Indiana | $38K | +5% | 3,400 |
| South Carolina | $38K | +4% | 2,460 |
| California | $38K | +3% | 13,240 |
| Connecticut | $38K | +3% | 480 |
| Delaware | $38K | +3% | 60 |
| Mississippi | $38K | +3% | 2,270 |
| Michigan | $37K | +2% | 3,210 |
| Idaho | $37K | +1% | 410 |
| Nebraska | $37K | +1% | 300 |
| Montana | $37K | +0% | 190 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -0% | 110 |
| Illinois | $36K | -1% | 4,060 |
| New Jersey | $36K | -1% | 2,750 |
| Iowa | $36K | -2% | 590 |
| Maryland | $36K | -2% | 1,390 |
| Virginia | $36K | -2% | 2,010 |
| Ohio | $36K | -2% | 4,100 |
| North Dakota | $36K | -3% | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -3% | 3,390 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -3% | 860 |
| Missouri | $36K | -3% | 2,320 |
| Utah | $36K | -3% | 1,020 |
| Kansas | $35K | -4% | 650 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -4% | 8,290 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -5% | 220 |
| Georgia | $35K | -5% | 3,420 |
| Tennessee | $34K | -7% | 3,300 |
| Oklahoma | $33K | -9% | 580 |
| Florida | $33K | -9% | 6,790 |
| Texas | $31K | -15% | 6,950 |
| Alabama | $31K | -16% | 2,300 |
| Louisiana | $30K | -19% | 610 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -20% | 2,750 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -20% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track sewing machine operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Birmingham numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sewing machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 58% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for sewing machine operators in Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sewing machine operators typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,417/month. At HUD’s $1,266/month FMR, rent would take 89% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is sewing machine operator a high-paying job in Birmingham?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $32K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for sewing machine operators?
Birmingham pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do sewing machine operators make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $31,840 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,610, and experienced sewing machine operators can clear $43,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,183/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 58% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a sewing machine operators salary go in Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median sewing machine operators salary is worth about $34,745 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sewing machine operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.