Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn $55,000 at the median, or about $26.44 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $50,514 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 62.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers, local pay runs about 32% 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 $2,246/month, which is 61.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $48K | $46K |
| Richmond | $47K | $48K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $46K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $60K | +45% | 1,160 |
| District of Columbia | $58K | +39% | 80 |
| Washington | $54K | +30% | 100 |
| Hawaii | $54K | +29% | N/A |
| Colorado | $51K | +23% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +21% | N/A |
| Nevada | $49K | +18% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +16% | 610 |
| Missouri | $48K | +16% | 200 |
| Maryland | $48K | +16% | N/A |
| Utah | $48K | +15% | 290 |
| Oregon | $47K | +14% | 100 |
| Minnesota | $46K | +11% | 290 |
| Virginia | $46K | +11% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | +10% | 60 |
| Delaware | $44K | +7% | N/A |
| California | $44K | +7% | 2,180 |
| New Mexico | $43K | +4% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $43K | +4% | 210 |
| Georgia | $43K | +4% | 360 |
| New Jersey | $43K | +4% | 350 |
| Illinois | $42K | +2% | 320 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -1% | 740 |
| Arizona | $40K | -3% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $40K | -4% | 210 |
| Florida | $40K | -4% | 920 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -7% | 170 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -8% | 40 |
| Michigan | $38K | -10% | 280 |
| Ohio | $37K | -11% | 510 |
| Indiana | $36K | -12% | 360 |
| Texas | $36K | -13% | 1,540 |
| Montana | $35K | -17% | 50 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -19% | 250 |
| South Carolina | $33K | -21% | 340 |
| Kentucky | $33K | -22% | 230 |
| Iowa | $32K | -24% | 130 |
| Alabama | $31K | -25% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $31K | -26% | 80 |
| Kansas | $27K | -35% | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $26K | -37% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $25K | -39% | 160 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 61.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,972/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 114% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $55K here vs. $42K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $55,000 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,870, and experienced tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers can clear $84,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,667/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 61.2% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $50,514 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.