Production

Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

8/100
#797 of 825
$41,640
median pay, U.S.
13,920
employed (2024)
-4.5%
growth, 2024–34
5,000
openings per year
No formal educational credential
typical entry education

Is tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers a good career?

It scores 8/100 and ranks #797 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • Pays below the U.S. median wage ($41,640 vs $61,390)
  • Employment is projected to decline (-4.5% through 2034)

What tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn between $35,230 and $50,200 a year.

Best-paying states

New York statewide
$60,210
$57,720
Washington statewide
$54,300
Hawaii statewide
$53,680
Colorado statewide
$51,110
Massachusetts statewide
$50,470
Nevada statewide
$49,150
Pennsylvania statewide
$48,310
Missouri statewide
$48,240
Maryland statewide
$48,200
$20k $60k $100k

Best-paying metros

01 New York, NY $63,050
02 San Jose, CA $59,020
03 Philadelphia, PA $57,020
04 Washington, DC $55,000
05 Seattle, WA $54,300
06 Denver, CO $53,970
07 Urban Honolulu, HI $53,680
08 Kiryas Joel, NY $53,570

Strongest employment concentration

01 California 2,180
02 Texas 1,540
03 New York 1,160
04 Florida 920
06 Pennsylvania 610

Live tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers jobs

No live tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers openings will appear here — each shown against the $41,640 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer

Typical education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Related occupations

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Questions about becoming a tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer
How much do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers make?

The national median wage is $41,640 a year, with the middle half earning between $35,230 and $50,200 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 8 of 100 and ranks #797 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change -4.5% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer?

The typical entry-level education is no formal educational credential.

Where do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn the most?

Among states, New York pays the highest median ($60,210). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34. How we score careers →