Sewing Machine Operators pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,170 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,300 or more. The middle half of sewing machine operators in Santa Maria earn between $37,160 and $43,160.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $39KMedian
- $43K75th
- $47K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,090 | $3,424 | $19.75 |
| Median | $39,420 | $3,285 | $18.95 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,160 | $3,097 | $17.87 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $43,160 | $3,597 | $20.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sewing Machine Operators pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Sewing machine operators in Santa Maria earn about the same as the California average ($41,060) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($37,600). At the median the gap is +7% against the U.S. median of $36,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $41,090 | $39,420 | $36,170 | $47,300 | 80 |
| 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 Santa Maria
On the average salary of $41,090, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $34,417 a year, or $2,868 a month and $1,324 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Santa Maria a good place for sewing machine operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Maria area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.8), so the average $41,090 buys what about $37,767 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 24.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Sewing Machine Operators salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 11th of 17 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($47,860).
- 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 Maria$41,090
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 Santa Maria: questions
How much do sewing machine operators make an hour in Santa Maria?
$19.76 an hour on average, and $18.95 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sewing machine operators salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,170 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,160, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sewing machine operators take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $34,417 a year ($2,868 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,090. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do sewing machine operators earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.56, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.56).
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