Sewing Machine Operating

What the Numbers Say About Sewing Machine Operating

Federal agencies employ 93 people in the Sewing Machine Operating occupation (OPM code 3111), accounting for 0.0% of the total federal civilian workforce of 2,289,472 for the March 2025 reporting window. Headcount in this occupation moved down by -6.1% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.

Average tenure in Sewing Machine Operating runs 10.1 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $52,988 per year, 51.8% below the $109,869 federal civilian average and up 1.3% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement.

Code 31, the Fabric and Leather Work Family family, is where the federal government classifies Sewing Machine Operating alongside 3 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Sewing Machine Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations, since federal hiring managers often cross-post positions across closely related codes when recruitment is difficult. All figures here come directly from OPM FedScope Employment Cubes, the same official source referenced in federal workforce planning, budget justifications, and GAO reports.

Inside the Fabric and Leather Work Family family (4 occupations, 682 employees combined), Sewing Machine Operating holds the #2 spot by headcount, a 13.6% share of the family total.