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Presser (textile, garment and related materials): pay, job outlook and how to get in

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$35,060median pay per year, or $16.85 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $27,180lowest 10% earn less
  2. $29,87025th percentile
  3. $35,060median
  4. $37,94075th percentile
  5. $43,050top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A presser of textiles, garments and related materials had a median pay of $35,060 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall 15.7% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-15.7%[2]
Openings per year
2,200[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do pressers make?

The median wage for pressers was $35,060 a year, or $16.85 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The mean (average) was $34,640 a year, or $16.65 an hour[7].

The median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4], so pressers earned well below that figure.

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[3][8] $27,180 $13.07
25th[3][8] $29,870 $14.36
75th[3][8] $37,940 $18.24
90th[3][8] $43,050 $20.70

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,180 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $43,050[3]. A percentile is a boundary between pay levels. BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, part-time and full-time. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10].

Pay by state and city

Illinois had the highest median annual wage at $40,230, followed by California at $39,300 and New Hampshire at $38,540[11]. California had 3,850 jobs and New Hampshire had 100[11].

The most jobs were in California (3,850), Texas (3,490) and Florida (2,130)[12]. Texas had a median of $29,680 and Florida $31,760[11].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $44,440[13]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA was next at $43,790[13], then Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA at $39,510[13]. The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, with 1,990 jobs and a median of $37,920[14]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA followed with 1,420 jobs and a median of $39,300[14].

Show median pay in 44 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Illinois[11]$40,230n/a
California$39,3003,850
New Hampshire$38,540100
Colorado$38,300320
Maine$38,02060
New Jersey$37,920870
Washington$37,620460
Arizona$36,870360
Oregon$36,860230
New York$36,5101,730
Massachusetts$36,410470
Rhode Island$36,390170
Michigan$36,290300
Connecticut$36,030740
Idaho$35,990110
Hawaii$35,98090
Nevada$35,560820
Wisconsin$35,500350
Utah$35,320320
Montana$35,27030
Maryland$34,390480
Nebraska$33,300170
Georgia$33,0101,010
Iowa$32,990100
Florida$31,7602,130
Virginia$31,220720
Kentucky$31,200530
Ohio$30,820810
Missouri$30,520330
Wyoming$30,46050
Arkansas$29,880470
Pennsylvania$29,880700
Texas$29,6803,490
Tennessee$29,460410
North Carolina$29,300550
South Carolina$29,160220
Kansas$29,110150
Indiana$28,840410
New Mexico$28,730110
West Virginia$28,40070
Oklahoma$28,340330
Mississippi$27,180400
Louisiana$27,170190
Alabama$26,860390

How to become a presser

BLS describes the typical path like this[6]:

BLS does not say in our facts how long that training lasts, and no license is listed.

In an ONET survey of 21 workers, 59% said the job requires less than a high school diploma, 26% said a high school diploma or equivalent, and 14% said a doctoral degree[15]. That is a very small survey, so it gives only a rough picture. ONET places the work in Job Zone 1-2, which means little to some preparation is needed[16].

What pressers do

O*NET describes the job as pressing or shaping articles by hand or machine[17]. Sample job titles include garment presser, pants presser, dry cleaner presser and pressing machine operator[18].

Tasks O*NET lists include[19]:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 15.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 26,300 to 22,200 jobs[2]. That is a loss of about 4,100 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[20]. The projection counts include self-employed workers[2].

Even with fewer jobs, BLS expects about 2,200 openings a year on average[5]. That count includes positions left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 5.5% of workers leave the labor force and 5.4% move to a different occupation[21].

The OEWS count of wage and salary jobs in May 2025 was about 26,120[22]. It differs from the projection count because the two measure different things[22][2].

O*NET lists related jobs such as sewing machine operators, with a median of $36,670 and projected change of -15.1%, and laundry and dry-cleaning workers, with a median of $34,890 and projected growth of 4.3%[23].

Is it a good fit?

The entry path is open, with no formal credential, no related experience and short training on the job[6]. Pay sits well below the all-occupations median, and BLS projects a steep drop in jobs[1][4][2]. Openings still arise each year as workers leave or change occupations[5][21]. Someone weighing the job may want to compare it with related work, since O*NET lists neighbors with different pay and outlook[23].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a presser make an hour?
The median was $16.85 an hour and the mean was $16.65 an hour in May 2025[1][7].
What education do you need to be a presser?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry education, with short-term on-the-job training[6].
Is the presser job in demand?
BLS projects employment to decline 15.7% from 2025 to 2035[2]. It still expects about 2,200 openings a year[5].
What is the highest paying state for pressers?
Illinois had the highest median annual wage at $40,230[11]. California was next at $39,300[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials in the US was $35,060 per year and $16.85 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials is projected to decline 15.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 26,300 to 22,200 jobs (a change of -4,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials: 10th percentile $27,180, 25th percentile $29,870, 75th percentile $37,940, 90th percentile $43,050. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,200 openings for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials was $34,640 per year and $16.65 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials: 10th percentile $13.07, 25th percentile $14.36, 75th percentile $18.24, 90th percentile $20.70. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials jobs: California 3,850; Texas 3,490; Florida 2,130; New York 1,730; Georgia 1,010. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $44,440; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $43,790; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $39,510; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $39,300; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $39,170; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $38,630; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $38,190; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $37,920. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,990 (median $37,920); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,420 (median $39,300); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,050 (median $31,790); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,040 (median $32,480); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 740 (median $29,680); Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 730 (median $35,560). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 51-6021.00 survey of workers (21 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 59%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 26%, Doctoral Degree 14% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET 51-6021.00: 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. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 51-6021.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Boarder, Dry Cleaner Presser, Garment Presser, Ironing Machine Operator, Ironing Worker, Pants Presser, Presser, Pressing Machine Operator. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials: 5.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 26,120 people were employed as Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.