Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
Human ServicesO*NET 51-6052.00United States
Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.
- Median annual earnings
- $32,344
- Projected change
- −4.9%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 33.44K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
74.5% of the workforce
Growing to 31.82K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
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The work
What tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.
- Trim excess material, using scissors.
- Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.
- Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
- Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.
- Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.
- 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.
- Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling.
- Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines.
- Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements.
- Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors.
- Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments.
- Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.
- Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed.
- Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric.
- Put in padding and shaping materials.
- Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $15,903
- 25th percentile
- $22,392
- 50th percentile
- $32,344
- 75th percentile
- $48,079
- 90th percentile
- $75,720
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $32,344 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
−4.9%projected to decline
202533,444 jobs
2035 projected31,817 jobs
1,627 fewer positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 74.5%
- Certificate
- 16%
- Bachelor's degree
- 9.5%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Seamstresses1,055 postings
- 02Seamstresses/Tailors745 postings
- 03Alterations Specialists593 postings
- 04Retail Store Managers524 postings
- 05Tailors391 postings
- 06Retail Alterations Tailors/Seamstresses291 postings
- 07Alterations and Tailor Shop Fitters/Sewers130 postings
- 08Embroidery Specialists126 postings
- 09Alterations Associates123 postings
- 10Industrial Seamstresses112 postings
- 11Prototype Technicians86 postings
- 12Tailor Fitters83 postings
- 13Bridal Specialists27 postings
- 14Master Tailors27 postings
- 15Alterations Managers26 postings
- 16Uniform Room Attendants24 postings
- 17Formalwear Managers23 postings
- 18Experienced Auditors22 postings
- 19Fabric Workers22 postings
- 20Sewers22 postings
Top employers
- 01David's Bridal464 postings
- 02Men's Wearhouse462 postings
- 03Nordstrom223 postings
- 04Buckle112 postings
- 05Saks Fifth Avenue72 postings
- 06Jos. A. Bank Clothiers65 postings
- 07The Golden Thimble Alterations Shop56 postings
- 08Von Maur56 postings
- 09Brooks Brothers Group50 postings
- 10Saks Global43 postings
- 11Cintas35 postings
- 12Galls32 postings
- 13Suitsupply27 postings
- 14Penney Opco24 postings
- 15Barneys New York22 postings
- 16Levi Strauss20 postings
- 17Macy's20 postings
- 18Navy Exchange Service Command20 postings
- 19Aerotek17 postings
- 20Express Employment Professionals17 postings
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