How much does a tailor make?
Answer: A typical tailor in the United States makes $41,640 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 14,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Tailor pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $29,920 | $41,640 | $63,670 | about 14,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $60,210 | about 1,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,310 | about 610 |
| California | $44,360 | about 2,000 |
| North Carolina | $41,260 | about 740 |
| Florida | $39,790 | about 920 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, experience and useful sewing skills can raise pay, and pay also differs by location and employer, such as a clothing shop, repair service, or factory. More complex custom jobs can pay differently, too.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a tailor do?
Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.
What's a typical day like?
A tailor measures a customer and pins a sleeve or pant hem, then unpicks stitches where the garment needs changing. They sew the new fit by hand or machine, repair buttons or zippers, and press the garment smooth.
How to get this job
Most U.S. tailors have a high-school diploma or GED, though some jobs need less, and they learn sewing on the job. Apprenticeships are another path; U.S. Labor lists alteration tailor, custom tailor, and dressmaker programs.
High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)
Good for people who like building and doing and creating.
Did you know?
Before industrial clothing production, most clothes in America were made for one person at home or by a tailor or dressmaker.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Production jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-6052.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes516052.htm
- americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/sweatshops/online/history/1820-1880
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY