How much does a textile worker make?
Answer: A typical textile worker in the United States makes $37,280 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. Below 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
Textile worker 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $31,270 | $37,280 | $52,730 | about 14,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $39,960 | about 760 |
| New Jersey | $37,410 | about 590 |
| North Carolina | $37,280 | about 2,000 |
| California | $36,740 | about 4,000 |
| Georgia | $36,510 | about 2,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience, useful skills, and sought-after certificates can help textile workers earn more. Pay also varies by employer or industry, location, and the kind and responsibility of the work; overtime or shift premiums can change take-home pay.
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 textile worker do?
All textile, apparel, and furnishings workers not listed separately.
What's a typical day like?
Depending on the specialty, a textile worker may guide fabric through a sewing machine to join pieces or repair a seam. They load materials, adjust or clean the machine, and remove the finished item.
How to get this job
In the U.S., the usual entry path is a high school diploma or equivalent; related job experience is typically not required. Employers provide short-term on-the-job training, so new workers learn the specific work at the job.
Did you know?
Surprise: some U.S. apparel factories knit the fabric first, then cut and sew it into clothes—all in the same manufacturing operation.
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.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-6099.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes516099.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-6031.00
- www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag315.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY