Sewing Machine Operators pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,690 a year or less, while the top 10% make $55,230 or more. The middle half of sewing machine operators in San Jose earn between $42,100 and $50,200.
- $42K10th
- $42K25th
- $47KMedian
- $50K75th
- $55K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $47,860 | $3,988 | $23.01 |
| Median | $47,220 | $3,935 | $22.70 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,100 | $3,508 | $20.24 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $50,200 | $4,183 | $24.13 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sewing Machine Operators pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Sewing machine operators in San Jose earn 17% more than the California average ($41,060) and 27% more than the U.S. average ($37,600). At the median the gap is +29% against the U.S. median of $36,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $47,860 | $47,220 | $41,690 | $55,230 | 220 |
| California | $41,060 | $37,940 | $34,950 | $49,040 | 13,240 |
| United States | $37,600 | $36,670 | $27,860 | $47,840 | 104,880 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Sewing Machine Operators salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $47,860, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $39,571 a year, or $3,298 a month and $1,522 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for sewing machine operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $47,860 buys what about $43,342 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 33.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Sewing Machine Operators salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 17 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Jose$47,860
- Santa Cruz$47,460
- San Francisco$46,380
- Napa$44,590
- Stockton$43,670
- Oxnard$42,660
- San Luis Obispo$42,480
- Sacramento$42,310
- Merced$42,110
- Santa Rosa$41,780
Highest-paying cities for sewing machine operators
Appleton, WI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($51,830).
- Appleton, WI$51,830
- Bend, OR$47,980
- San Jose, CA$47,860
- Santa Cruz, CA$47,460
- San Francisco, CA$46,380
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Sewing Machine Operators salary in San Jose: questions
How much do sewing machine operators make an hour in San Jose?
$23.01 an hour on average, and $22.70 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sewing machine operators salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,690 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,100, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sewing machine operators take-home pay in San Jose?
About $39,571 a year ($3,298 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $47,860. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do sewing machine operators earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 27% more than the U.S. average for this job ($37,600).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-6031; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.29, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.29).
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