Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers pay range in Durham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,250 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,200 or more. The middle half of tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in Durham earn between $33,950 and $51,310.
- $18K10th
- $34K25th
- $38KMedian
- $51K75th
- $83K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $44,240 | $3,687 | $21.27 |
| Median | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $33,950 | $2,829 | $16.32 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $51,310 | $4,276 | $24.67 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers pay in Durham vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in Durham earn 6% more than the North Carolina average ($41,860) and about the same as the U.S. average ($45,140). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $41,640.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | $44,240 | $38,000 | $18,250 | $83,200 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $41,860 | $41,260 | $31,110 | $52,670 | 740 |
| United States | $45,140 | $41,640 | $29,920 | $63,670 | 13,920 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers salary after taxes in Durham
On the average salary of $44,240, a single filer in Durham takes home about $36,470 a year, or $3,039 a month and $1,403 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Durham a good place for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $44,240 buys what about $45,341 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 9.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers salary in other North Carolina cities
Durham ranks 2nd of 4 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Charlotte pays the most ($45,020).
- Charlotte$45,020
- Durham$44,240
- Winston-Salem$41,030
- Asheville$38,440
All Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers salaries in North Carolina
Highest-paying cities for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
New York, NY pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($65,180).
- New York, NY$65,180
- Seattle, WA$59,060
- Atlanta, GA$56,330
- San Jose, CA$55,320
- Kiryas Joel, NY$55,220
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Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers salary in Durham: questions
How much do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers make an hour in Durham?
$21.27 an hour on average, and $18.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,250 a year and the 25th percentile is $33,950, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers take-home pay in Durham?
About $36,470 a year ($3,039 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $44,240.
Do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn more in Durham than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($45,140).
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 51-6052; area Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.1%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.46, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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