Sewing Machine Operators pay range in Reading
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,170 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,140 or more. The middle half of sewing machine operators in Reading earn between $33,830 and $38,340.
- $29K10th
- $34K25th
- $38KMedian
- $38K75th
- $47K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $37,230 | $3,102 | $17.90 |
| Median | $37,820 | $3,152 | $18.18 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $33,830 | $2,819 | $16.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,340 | $3,195 | $18.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sewing Machine Operators pay in Reading vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Sewing machine operators in Reading earn about the same as the Pennsylvania average ($36,180) and about the same as the U.S. average ($37,600). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $36,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | $37,230 | $37,820 | $29,170 | $47,140 | 240 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,180 | $35,640 | $28,340 | $45,510 | 3,390 |
| 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 Reading
On the average salary of $37,230, a single filer in Reading takes home about $30,951 a year, or $2,579 a month and $1,190 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Reading a good place for sewing machine operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Reading area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.1), so the average $37,230 buys what about $38,358 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Reading ($49,440). A typical home costs $312,348, or 8.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Sewing Machine Operators salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Reading ranks 3rd of 12 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Scranton pays the most ($38,840).
- Scranton$38,840
- York$38,590
- Reading$37,230
- Allentown$37,050
- Erie$36,570
- Philadelphia$36,440
- Lebanon$36,190
- Harrisburg$35,940
- Lancaster$35,560
- Pittsburgh$35,240
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 Reading: questions
How much do sewing machine operators make an hour in Reading?
$17.90 an hour on average, and $18.18 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sewing machine operators salary in Reading?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,170 a year and the 25th percentile is $33,830, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sewing machine operators take-home pay in Reading?
About $30,951 a year ($2,579 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $37,230. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do sewing machine operators earn more in Reading than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Reading, PA (39740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.01, this job is 2.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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