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Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers in Tennessee

Considering working as a Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers in Tennessee? Here’s what you need to know. Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.

What do Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Make in Tennessee?

For a tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers working in Tennessee, the median annual wage is $34,510 per year (or roughly $16.59/hour).Annual wages span from $23,660 at the 10th percentile to $50,540 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$23,660	$11.38
25th percentile	$26,550	$12.76
Median (50th)	$34,510	$16.59
75th percentile	$42,120	$20.25
90th percentile	$50,540	$24.30

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Tennessee compared to the national average — is 0.67, suggesting fewer tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn a median of $40,404 per year ($19.43/hour), below the Tennessee median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 860,064 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers across the United States. In Tennessee alone, around 230 people work in this role. That’s in line with the typical state median of 230.

Top Tennessee Metros for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

The largest metro-area employers of tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in Tennessee.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	30	$32,780

Top States for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Employment

The table below shows the states where the most tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers work.

State	Number Employed
California	2,240
Texas	1,840
Florida	1,410
New York	1,400
New Jersey	710
Minnesota	600
South Carolina	550
Pennsylvania	500
Michigan	490
Massachusetts	490
North Carolina	480
Virginia	450
Illinois	360
Missouri	340
Ohio	270
Indiana	260
Maryland	260
Georgia	230
Louisiana	230
Tennessee	230

Highest-Paying States for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

The highest-paying states for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers.

State	Annual Median Salary
District of Columbia	$57,380
New York	$57,280
Maryland	$52,000
Washington	$51,010
Oklahoma	$50,710
Pennsylvania	$49,250
Connecticut	$47,360
Hawaii	$46,990
Nevada	$46,020
Massachusetts	$45,770

Skills

Key tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines.
• Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.
• Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
• Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.
• Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.
• Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.
• Trim excess material, using scissors.
• Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
• Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.
• Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.
• Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves.
• Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.

Work Activities

• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Thinking Creatively
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Getting Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Scheduling Work and Activities
• Developing Objectives and Strategies

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Google Docs

Related Careers

Careers similar to tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers include:

• Fashion Designers
• Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
• Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
• Print Binding and Finishing Workers
• Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
• Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials

Also Known As

Alteration Tailor, Alterations Associate, Alterations Expert, Alterations Sewer, Alterations Specialist, Alterations Tailor, Alterations and Tailor Shop Fitter, Alterations and Tailor Shop Sewer, Appliquer, Bridal Designer, Bridal Gown Fitter, Cloth Cutter, Clothing Busheler, Clothing Cutter, Clothing Pattern Designer.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-6052.00