Sewing Machine Operators Salary
The median pay for a sewing machine operators in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $34,310/year ($16.49/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $39,410 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,051/month, about 44.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Sewing machine operators pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,051/month, which is 44.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for sewing machine operators in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $37K | $41K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $36K | $41K |
| Dubuque | $39K | $45K |
| Cedar Rapids | $36K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level sewing machine operators (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $23K 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
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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sewing machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 44.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sewing machine operators typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,367/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for sewing machine operators?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do sewing machine operators make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $34,310 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,790, and experienced sewing machine operators can clear $46,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,340/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 44.9% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (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 $39,410 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.