Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Salary
In Oregon, tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn $47,450 at the median, or about $22.81 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.44), that's roughly $46,320 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,555/month, about 47.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oregon. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K get you in Oregon?
About tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Oregon
Oregon sits well above the national pay line for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,555/month, which is 51.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oregon
Entry-level tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers salary by metro in Oregon
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $48K | +0% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Oregon numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oregon?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 51.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,555/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Oregon?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,873/month. At HUD’s $1,555/month FMR, rent would take 83% 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 Oregon?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $47K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Oregon compare to the national average for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers?
Oregon pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers make in Oregon?
The median is $47,450 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,210, and experienced tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers can clear $62,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Oregon?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,045/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,555/month, which eats 51.1% 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 Oregon?
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity of 102.44 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary is worth about $46,320 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.