Sewing Machine Operators Salary in Hickory, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Median annual salary $46,360 +28.8% vs national
Median hourly $22.29
10th percentile $31,200
90th percentile $59,740
Employed locally 1,980
National median $36,000

Compare Sewing Machine Operators salary & buying power

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Sewing Machine Operators
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Hickory, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $31,200
    25th
    $35,900
    50th (median)
    $46,360
    75th
    $49,800
    90th
    $59,740

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Sewing Machine Operators salary vs area income 77% Median Sewing Machine Operators salary is 23% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Sewing Machine Operators

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $49,980
    Appleton, WI $48,880
    Glens Falls, NY $48,380
    Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $46,990
    Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $46,450
    Kingston, NY $46,170

    Nearby metros — Sewing Machine Operators salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area $44,570
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $43,460
    Manchester-Nashua, NH $40,060
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $39,350
    North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $37,520
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $37,100

    Related occupations in Hickory, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $38,670
    Upholsterers $59,400
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $63,280
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $41,340
    Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $52,150
    Production Workers, All Other $37,510

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Sewing Machine Operators make per hour in Hickory?

    The median hourly wage for Sewing Machine Operators in Hickory, NC is $22.29, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $28.92 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory above or below average for Sewing Machine Operators salaries?

    The median Sewing Machine Operators salary in Hickory, NC is 28.8% above the national median of $36,000. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Sewing Machine Operators in Hickory?

    Entry-level Sewing Machine Operators (10th percentile) earn around $31,200 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $35,900.