Sewing machinists salary in the UK (2025/26)
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£22,767
Typical Annual pay range
Employment patterns
- 62% of Sewing machinists work full-time
- 30% are self-employed
- 100.0% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Sewing machinists pay in the UK
The typical sewing machinists in the UK earns a median salary of £22,767 in 2025/26. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
The middle half of sewing machinists earnings fall between £17,135 and £26,741 a year. That spread reflects the usual gap between newer entrants and more experienced sewing machinists.
The mean (average) salary is lower, at £21,702, which is unusual: it points to a cluster of lower-paid roles dragging the average down, so the median better reflects typical pay.
Employment patterns shape these numbers too: Around 30% of Sewing machinists are self-employed, well above most occupations, so the employee pay above will not capture earnings for those working for themselves; only 62% work full-time, so part-time and flexible roles are common in this field.
Where you work changes the picture: sewing machinists pay ranges from £16,268 in South East up to £24,873 in North East, a difference of £8,605 (53%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see sewing machinists pay in North East or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
North East is the highest-paying region for sewing machinists at £24,873 — 9% above the UK median. South East is lowest at £16,268.
UK median £22,767
| Region | Median payUK median £22,767 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | £24,873 | £24,873 | £26,173 | +9% |
| North West | £24,772 | £24,772 | £23,717 | +9% |
| Wales | £24,141 | £24,141 | £25,353 | +6% |
| South West | £22,938 | £22,938 | £23,573 | +1% |
| West Midlands | £22,706 | £22,706 | £21,888 | ±0% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £21,268 | £21,268 | £21,340 | -7% |
| Scotland | £20,988 | £20,988 | £20,525 | -8% |
| East Midlands | £20,188 | £20,188 | £19,837 | -11% |
| East of England | £16,902 | £16,902 | £18,254 | -26% |
| South East | £16,268 | £16,268 | £18,304 | -29% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| North East £24,873 | £24,873Mean £26,173 | +9% |
| North West £24,772 | £24,772Mean £23,717 | +9% |
| Wales £24,141 | £24,141Mean £25,353 | +6% |
| South West £22,938 | £22,938Mean £23,573 | +1% |
| West Midlands £22,706 | £22,706Mean £21,888 | ±0% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £21,268 | £21,268Mean £21,340 | -7% |
| Scotland £20,988 | £20,988Mean £20,525 | -8% |
| East Midlands £20,188 | £20,188Mean £19,837 | -11% |
| East of England £16,902 | £16,902Mean £18,254 | -26% |
| South East £16,268 | £16,268Mean £18,304 | -29% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£22,767); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
Make it local
Calculate take-home pay for your region
Choose a region above to see local sewing machinists pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow sewing machinists pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for sewing machinists by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
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