Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Salary
In Michigan, tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn $37,500 at the median, or about $18.03 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $39,940 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 49.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Michigan?
About tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
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What this looks like in Michigan
Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $42K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 49.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Michigan
Entry-level tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers salary by metro in Michigan
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $38K | +0% | N/A |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 49.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,957/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer a high-paying job in Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $42K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers?
Michigan pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers make in Michigan?
The median is $37,500 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,610, and experienced tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers can clear $56,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,548/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 49.9% 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 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary go in Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary is worth about $39,940 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers 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.