Sewing Machine Operators pay range in Durham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,130 a year or less, while the top 10% make $44,250 or more. The middle half of sewing machine operators in Durham earn between $29,120 and $37,980.
- $28K10th
- $29K25th
- $35KMedian
- $38K75th
- $44K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,420 | $2,952 | $17.03 |
| Median | $34,850 | $2,904 | $16.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,120 | $2,427 | $14.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $37,980 | $3,165 | $18.26 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sewing Machine Operators pay in Durham vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Sewing machine operators in Durham earn about the same as the North Carolina average ($36,250) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($37,600). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $36,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | $35,420 | $34,850 | $28,130 | $44,250 | 320 |
| North Carolina | $36,250 | $35,160 | $26,560 | $48,570 | 8,290 |
| 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 Durham
On the average salary of $35,420, a single filer in Durham takes home about $29,735 a year, or $2,478 a month and $1,144 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Durham a good place for sewing machine operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $35,420 buys what about $36,301 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 11.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Sewing Machine Operators salary in other North Carolina cities
Durham ranks 4th of 13 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Hickory pays the most ($44,600).
- Hickory$44,600
- Asheville$36,250
- Charlotte$35,780
- Durham$35,420
- Greensboro$34,670
- Winston-Salem$33,750
- Greenville$33,550
- Wilmington$32,910
- Raleigh$32,500
- Fayetteville$32,100
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 Durham: questions
How much do sewing machine operators make an hour in Durham?
$17.03 an hour on average, and $16.76 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sewing machine operators salary in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,130 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,120, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sewing machine operators take-home pay in Durham?
About $29,735 a year ($2,478 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,420.
Do sewing machine operators earn more in Durham than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.4%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.37, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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