| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 96 (%) | Description: Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components. |
| Importance: 94 (%) | Description: Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions. |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Select supplies such as fasteners and thread, according to job requirements. |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Fold or stretch edges or lengths of items while sewing to facilitate forming specified sections. |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Perform equipment maintenance tasks such as replacing needles, sanding rough areas of needles, or cleaning and oiling sewing machines. |
| Importance: 83 (%) | Description: Turn knobs, screws, and dials to adjust settings of machines, according to garment styles and equipment performance. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Cut excess material or thread from finished products. |
| Importance: 80 (%) | Description: Repair or alter items by adding replacement parts or missing stitches. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Remove holding devices and finished items from machines. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Examine and measure finished articles to verify conformance to standards, using rulers. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Attach tape, trim, appliques, or elastic to specified garments or garment parts, according to item specifications. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Match cloth pieces in correct sequences prior to sewing them, and verify that dye lots and patterns match. |
| Importance: 73 (%) | Description: Start and operate or tend machines, such as single or double needle serging and flat-bed felling machines, to automatically join, reinforce, or decorate material or articles. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Record quantities of materials processed. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Mount attachments, such as needles, cutting blades, or pattern plates, and adjust machine guides according to specifications. |
Associate Degree Careers and Jobs
Explore Careers and Jobs Predominantly Filled by Those with an Associate's Degree or Less - All On One Page.
Sorted by median annual U.S. salary and including percentage of job holders with Associate's Degree or less.
An associate's degree can open doors to skilled technical, healthcare, and business support roles without the time commitment of a four-year degree. For people who want a faster, more affordable path into a stable career. Compare careers ranked by salary, review degree-holder and experience percentages, and access preparation resources for each role.
Here is a short Helper Video 
.
This page will take you through 4 steps, relative to an Associate's Degree, to (1) Select a career, (2) Find active job listings, (3) Prepare for the career you chose, and (4) Provide web resources specific to the career you chose.
Step 1: Select a Career: You will be presented with a listing of Associate's Degree careers. The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of careers below
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover careers that might be of interest.
Once you have identified a career of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the career you selected. Information includes core and supplemental duties, general and specific work activities, knowledge required, essential and transferable skills required, day-in-the-life summaries, knowledge required, software skills required, preparation required, educational requirements, training and work experience required, local salary information, certifications, professional associations, current job listings for the job selected along with multiple similar job titles, and related careers (related to what they do, what they know, and what they're called).
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that will provide detailed (updated) links to occupational information specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career
Leading Books About Associate Degree Jobs
What jobs can you get with an Associate's Degree? Scroll through the picklist (below). These are careers related to the Associate's Degree level, with at least 30% of job holders having an Associate's Degree. - 571 specific careers are listed, with matching jobs currently available. Select those careers that may be of interest - you will then get links to matching active job listings, and detailed resources to help you prepare.
You can use this form two ways:
1) Enter a Keyword - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the listing to those careers that contain the keyword entered
2) Browse the list (Don't enter a keyword) - You can simply browse the list of careers. There may be many that you might never have considered. This may help you to discover jobs that might be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title - Sorted by Annual Salary -(scroll and Select) :
Legend: Career Title Link / (% having Associate's Degree or less) / (Median Annual U.S. Salary)
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Job Listings for: Sewing Machine Operators.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Prepare for the "Sewing Machine Operators" Career
The details below will provide a pathway to your specific job goal and help you to identify an appropriate career ladder.
Sewing Machine Operators
Description: Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Sewing Machine Operators":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
133,500U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
114,800
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
-18,600 (-14%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
12,200
Core Duties
Supplemental Duties
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 67 (%) | Description: Tape or twist together thread or cord to repair breaks. |
| Importance: 58 (%) | Description: Cut materials according to specifications, using blades, scissors, or electric knives. |
| Importance: 55 (%) | Description: Inspect garments, and examine repair tags and markings on garments to locate defects or damage, and mark errors as necessary. |
| Importance: 55 (%) | Description: Attach buttons, hooks, zippers, fasteners, or other accessories to fabric, using feeding hoppers or clamp holders. |
| Importance: 49 (%) | Description: Baste edges of material to align and temporarily secure parts for final assembly. |
| Importance: 44 (%) | Description: Draw markings or pin appliques on fabric to obtain variations in design. |
| Importance: 42 (%) | Description: Position and mark patterns on materials to prepare for sewing. |
| Importance: 42 (%) | Description: Perform specialized or automatic sewing machine functions, such as buttonhole making or tacking. |
| Importance: 39 (%) | Description: Position material or articles in clamps, templates, or hoop frames prior to automatic operation of machines. |
Work Activities
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 64 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
Specific Work Activities
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Adjust fabrics or other materials during garment production. | |
| Align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly. | |
| Attach decorative or functional accessories to products. | |
| Clean production equipment. | |
| Compare physical characteristics of materials or products to specifications or standards. | |
| Cut fabrics. | |
| Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references. | |
| Feed materials or products into or through equipment. | |
| Inspect garments for defects, damage, or stains. | |
| Load materials into production equipment. | |
| Maintain production or processing equipment. | |
| Maneuver workpieces in equipment during production. | |
| Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information. | |
| Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications. | |
| Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment. | |
| Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment. | |
| Operate sewing equipment. | |
| Position patterns on equipment, materials, or workpieces. | |
| Record operational or production data. | |
| Remove accessories, tools, or other parts from equipment. | |
| Remove products or workpieces from production equipment. | |
| Repair textiles or apparel. | |
| Replace worn equipment components. | |
| Select production input materials. | |
| Trim excess material from workpieces. | |
| Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions. | |
Essential Skills
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
Day-in-the-Life Summaries
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas. |
| Activity: Create decorative objects or parts of objects. |
| Activity: Cut materials. |
| Activity: Disassemble equipment. |
| Activity: Inspect characteristics or conditions of materials or products. |
| Activity: Load products, materials, or equipment for transportation or further processing. |
| Activity: Maintain operational records. |
| Activity: Maintain tools or equipment. |
| Activity: Mark materials or objects for identification. |
| Activity: Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment. |
| Activity: Monitor equipment operation. |
| Activity: Position materials or components for assembly. |
| Activity: Position tools or equipment. |
| Activity: Position workpieces or materials on equipment. |
| Activity: Remove workpieces from production equipment. |
| Activity: Repair tools or equipment. |
| Activity: Select materials or equipment for operations or projects. |
| Activity: Sew garments or materials. |
Software Skills
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
| Emerging Tech Skills |
| Electronic mail software: |
| Microsoft Outlook |
| Office suite software: |
| Microsoft Office software |
| Spreadsheet software: |
| Microsoft Excel |
| Word processing software: |
| Microsoft Word |
| General Software Tools |
| Electronic mail software: |
| Email software |
| Internet browser software: |
| Web browser software |
Preparation Required
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed |
| Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. |
| Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. |
| Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. |
| These occupations involve following instructions and often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include dishwashers, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, counter and rental clerks, dental laboratory technicians, and security guards. |
Education Required
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 52.9 (%) | Level of Education: Less than a High School Diploma |
| Frequency of Attainment: 41.4 (%) | Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 5.0 (%) | Level of Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 0.7 (%) | Level of Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) |
Training and Experience Required
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 23.5 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 22.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 21.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 13.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 8.8 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
| Frequency of Attainment: 5.3 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 3.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Up to and including 1 month |
| Frequency of Attainment: 1.2 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 10 years |
Local Salary Information
Select a State (scroll and Select) :
Please select a State to see State and National Salaries
Job Listings
Related Careers to Consider
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated)
This section contains detailed resources appropriate to "Sewing Machine Operators". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Videos
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Job Description
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
Interviews
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Step-by-Step
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Sewing Machine Operators
LinkedIn®
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
Developed by Dr. Ralph Jagodka, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus of Business Management at Mt. San Antonio College and author of the Harvard Business Impact article "What to Do When Students Ask You for Career Advice." - Full bio. © 2026 About This Page
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