Sewing Machine Operators pay range in San Luis Obispo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,610 a year or less, while the top 10% make $54,500 or more. The middle half of sewing machine operators in San Luis Obispo earn between $36,920 and $46,430.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $39KMedian
- $46K75th
- $54K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,480 | $3,540 | $20.42 |
| Median | $38,550 | $3,212 | $18.53 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,920 | $3,077 | $17.75 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $46,430 | $3,869 | $22.32 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sewing Machine Operators pay in San Luis Obispo vs. California and the U.S.
Sewing machine operators in San Luis Obispo earn 3% more than the California average ($41,060) and 13% more than the U.S. average ($37,600). At the median the gap is +5% against the U.S. median of $36,670.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo | $42,480 | $38,550 | $35,610 | $54,500 | 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 San Luis Obispo
On the average salary of $42,480, a single filer in San Luis Obispo takes home about $35,478 a year, or $2,956 a month and $1,365 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 San Luis Obispo a good place for sewing machine operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Luis Obispo area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.6), so the average $42,480 buys what about $39,117 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Luis Obispo ($50,770). A typical home costs $909,699, or 21.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Sewing Machine Operators salary in other California cities
San Luis Obispo ranks 7th 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 Rosa$41,780
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 San Luis Obispo: questions
How much do sewing machine operators make an hour in San Luis Obispo?
$20.42 an hour on average, and $18.53 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sewing machine operators salary in San Luis Obispo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,610 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,920, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sewing machine operators take-home pay in San Luis Obispo?
About $35,478 a year ($2,956 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,480. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do sewing machine operators earn more in San Luis Obispo than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% 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 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA (42020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- 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 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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