Sewing Machine Operators Salary
The median pay for a sewing machine operators in South Dakota is $39,000/year ($18.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $43,386 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,017/month, about 36.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in South Dakota?
About sewing machine operators
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Sewing machine operators pay in South Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,017/month, which is 36.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level sewing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Sewing Machine Operators salary by metro in South Dakota
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $39K | -1% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track sewing machine operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Dakota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sewing machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 36.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sewing machine operators typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,701/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 South Dakota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for sewing machine operators?
South Dakota pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sewing machine operators make in South Dakota?
The median is $39,000 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,350, and experienced sewing machine operators can clear $47,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,781/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 36.6% 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 South Dakota?
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 89.89 (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 $43,386 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.