Sewing Machine Operators vs Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
Side-by-side · O*NET · BLS · AI-exposure research · Anthropic Economic Index
A factual, source-backed comparison of Sewing Machine Operators and Cutters and Trimmers, Hand on the dimensions both occupations carry. Every figure is a position within an independent published dataset — not a verdict on which job is better, safer, or more “future-proof.”
At a glance
| Dimension | Sewing Machine Operators | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $36,000 | $38,800 |
| Employment | 109,590 | 7,070 |
| Employment outlook (2024–34) · BLS projection | Declining (-10.8%) | Declining (-18.1%) |
| Annual openings · BLS projection | 13,000 | 600 |
| Typical education · O*NET | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. | Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. |
| AI exposure · published exposure studies | Low · 7th pct | Low · 12th pct |
| Global GenAI gradient · ILO ISCO-08 · via crosswalk | 17th pct · 15% of tasks | 26th pct · 18% of tasks |
| Observed AI use · Anthropic Economic Index | — | — |
| Mostly remote-capable · Dingel–Neiman | No | No |
Pay and employment are BLS OEWS estimates; outlook and openings are BLS 2024–2034 projections; AI exposure and observed-use figures come from separate research and reflect exposure and usage, not predictions that either job will disappear. Compare like with like.
Skills
Shared: Arm-Hand Steadiness, Manual Dexterity, Control Precision, Near Vision, Finger Dexterity, Monitoring, Information Ordering, Multilimb Coordination, Rate Control, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive Reasoning, Visualization, Reaction Time, Visual Color Discrimination, Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Inductive Reasoning, Category Flexibility, Perceptual Speed, Selective Attention, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Flexibility of Closure, Far Vision, Reading Comprehension, Written Comprehension, Speech Recognition, Production and Processing, Coordination, Speech Clarity, Social Perceptiveness.
Specific to Sewing Machine Operators
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Depth Perception
- English Language
- Operation and Control
- Wrist-Finger Speed
Specific to Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
- Static Strength
- Speaking
- Trunk Strength
- Mathematics
- Extent Flexibility
- Service Orientation
Knowledge, skills & abilities O*NET rates as important for each occupation. “Shared” are common to both; the columns list what is distinctive to each (top by the order O*NET surfaces).
Tools & technology
Shared: Spreadsheet software , Electronic mail software , Word processing software .
Specific to Sewing Machine Operators
Specific to Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
Full profiles
This page is a summary. See the complete source-backed profile for Sewing Machine Operators or Cutters and Trimmers, Hand — tasks, the full skill graph, tools, work context, preparation, wages by percentile, industries, AI exposure and the AI work map.
More comparisons
Related occupations you can place side by side on the same sourced scale.
- Sewing Machine Operators vs Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
- Sewing Machine Operators vs Sewers, Hand
- Sewing Machine Operators vs Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
- Sewing Machine Operators vs Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Sewing Machine Operators vs Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Sewing Machine Operators vs Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Sewing Machine Operators vs Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Sewing Machine Operators vs Machine Feeders and Offbearers
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Sewing Machine Operators vs Cutters and Trimmers, Hand." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/compare/sewing-machine-operators-vs-cutters-and-trimmers-hand
Singulariki. (2026). Sewing Machine Operators vs Cutters and Trimmers, Hand. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/compare/sewing-machine-operators-vs-cutters-and-trimmers-hand
@misc{singulariki-sewing-machine-operators-vs-cutters-and-trimmers-hand,
title = {Sewing Machine Operators vs Cutters and Trimmers, Hand},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/compare/sewing-machine-operators-vs-cutters-and-trimmers-hand}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.