Sewing Machine Operators pay in Tennessee
$33,760avg. a year
$16.23 an hour · 3,300 employed
Sewing Machine Operators in Tennessee earn an average of $33,760 a year. That is $3,840 (10%) less than the U.S. average of $37,600. The best-paying metro area is Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN at $36,980.
$34,220Median pay
$16.23Average hourly
+21%Avg. pay since 2020
#44Of 50 states
Top-paying Tennessee metro areas
Average pay for sewing machine operators by metro area. Swipe to see all 9.
1870 jobs
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
$36,980
$17.78 an hour
2180 jobs
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$36,580
$17.59 an hour
350 jobs
Jackson, TN
$36,250
$17.43 an hour
450 jobs
Clarksville, TN-KY
$34,240
$16.46 an hour
5430 jobs
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
$34,000
$16.34 an hour
650 jobs
Cleveland, TN
$33,720
$16.21 an hour
760 jobs
Morristown, TN
$33,430
$16.07 an hour
840 jobs
Johnson City, TN
$33,350
$16.04 an hour
9520 jobs
Knoxville, TN
$33,220
$15.97 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Sewing Machine Operators pay in Tennessee, charted
Pay over time
Tennessee, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Tennessee sewing machine operators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Tennessee highlighted · tap a state
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Under $36k$36k–$38k$38k–$41k$41k+Tennessee
Tennessee vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $37,600 | $18.08 |
| Tennessee | $33,760 | $16.23 |
| Mississippi | $36,780 | $17.68 |
| Virginia | $36,550 | $17.57 |
| North Carolina | $36,250 | $17.43 |
| Arkansas | $35,640 | $17.14 |
| Missouri | $35,300 | $16.97 |
Related jobs in Tennessee
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$32,660
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$48,410
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials$33,390
- Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,660
- Upholsterers$41,400
- Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers$35,830
Average pay, Tennessee, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do sewing machine operators make in Tennessee?
The average is $33,760 a year, and the median is $34,220. That is $3,840 (10%) less than the U.S. average of $37,600.
What is the hourly wage in Tennessee?
$16.23 an hour on average; the median is $16.45.
Where in Tennessee do they earn the most?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN ($36,980), followed by Chattanooga, TN-GA ($36,580). The lowest average among 9 metro areas with data is Knoxville, TN ($33,220).
How does Tennessee rank?
Tennessee ranks #44 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 51-6031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national sewing machine operators page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.