Sewing Machine Operators Salary
The median pay for a sewing machine operators in Virginia is $35,790/year ($17.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $37,757 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 67.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Virginia?
About sewing machine operators
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What this looks like in Virginia
Sewing machine operators pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 67.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Virginia
Entry-level sewing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Sewing Machine Operators salary by metro in Virginia
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke | $37K | +3% | 220 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $36K | -0% | 300 |
| Richmond | $35K | -1% | 210 |
Compare to other states
Track sewing machine operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sewing machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 67.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sewing machine operators typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,648/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 100% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for sewing machine operators?
Virginia pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sewing machine operators make in Virginia?
The median is $35,790 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,470, and experienced sewing machine operators can clear $46,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,438/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 67.5% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $37,757 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.