Sewing Machine Operators
Production · SOC 51-6031
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 51-6031 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 47/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $36,670
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 14,200
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -10.8%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 0
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 14,730 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Operate or tend sewing machines to join, reinforce, decorate, or perform related sewing operations in the manufacture of garment or nongarment products.
Common titles: Line Closer, Machine Operator, Prototype Sewer, Sample Maker, Seamer, Seamstress
Representative Tasks
- •Monitor machine operation to detect problems such as defective stitching, breaks in thread, or machine malfunctions.
- •Place spools of thread, cord, or other materials on spindles, insert bobbins, and thread ends through machine guides and components.
- •Position items under needles, using marks on machines, clamps, templates, or cloth as guides.
- •Guide garments or garment parts under machine needles and presser feet to sew parts together.
- •Remove holding devices and finished items from machines.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
- •Cut fabrics.
- •Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
- •Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
- •Load materials into production equipment.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Outlook | Average | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $36,670 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |