Tailors and dressmakers: salary in the UK
Pay by year
The median went from £19,434 in 2021 to £25,120 in 2025 (+29%); for all full-time employees in the UK it changed by +25% over the same years.
Figures by year
| P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | x | x | £19,434 | x | x |
| 2022 | x | x | x | x | x |
| 2023 | x | x | £23,348 | x | x |
| 2024 | x | x | £24,797 | x | x |
| 2025 | x | x | £25,120 | x | x |
| 2026 | x | x | x | x | x |
ONS figures for each year, not adjusted for inflation. Years before 2021 used a different occupation classification, so they can't be compared. Earlier years are ONS's revised figures; the latest is provisional.
ONS didn't publish salary figures for Tailors and dressmakers in 2026: too few full-time employees were in the survey sample for a reliable estimate. This is common for jobs where many people are self-employed, because the survey only covers employees.
The wider group Textiles and Garments Trades (SOC 541) has a median of £30,086 a year.
ONS did publish a mean of £30,820, which is less reliable than a median would be.
Job titles in this occupation
ONS codes these 104 job titles to SOC 5413 Tailors and dressmakers. Pay figures are for the whole occupation, not for each title.
- Alteration assistant
- Alteration cutter
- Alteration fitter
- Alteration hand
- Assistant
- Baister
- Band knife cutter
- Baster
- Blouse cutter
- Blouse maker
- Cap cutter
- Cap maker
- Cloth cutter
- Clothier's cutter
- Clothing cutter
- Clothing fitter
- Clothing pattern cutter
- Coat fitter
- Coat maker
- Collar cutter
- Collar shaper
- Copyist
- Costume cutter
- Costume maker
- Costumier
- Cutter
- Cutter and fitter
- Cutter improver
- Cutter's assistant
- Cutting machinist
- Cutting room assistant
- Dress fitter
- Dress maker
- Dressmaker
- Fabric cutter
- First hand
- Fitter
- Fitter and trimmer
- Fitter-up
- Fixer
- Foreman
- Fur blocker
- Fur cutter
- Fur mantle maker
- Furrier
- Garment cutter
- Garment maker
- General hand
- Glove cutter
- Glove worker
- Hand cutter
- Hand knife cutter
- Hat cutter
- Hat worker
- Hosiery cutter
- Kilt maker
- Knife cutter
- Layer-up
- Leather cutter
- Linen cutter
Show all 104 titles
- Lingerie cutter
- Lining cutter
- Machine cutter
- Machine knife cutter
- Mantle cutter
- Marker
- Marker-up
- Material cutter
- Measure cutter
- Measurer
- Milliner
- Milliner's assistant
- Milliner's copyist
- Millinery improver
- Nailer
- Pattern cutter
- Pattern maker
- Picker
- Pleater
- Preparer
- Press cutter
- Puncher
- Second hand
- Shaper
- Shirt cutter
- Shirt maker
- Skin cutter
- Skirt maker
- Stock cutter
- Table cutter
- Tacker
- Tailor
- Tailor and outfitter
- Tailor's assistant
- Tailor's cutter
- Tailor's fitter
- Tailoress
- Tie cutter
- Trimmer fixer
- Trimming cutter
- Trouser maker
- Under cutter
- Waistcoat maker
- Webber
Similar occupations
All jobs in Skilled trades occupations
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2026 provisional, Table 14.7a (full-time employees, gross annual pay, UK, tax year ending 5 April 2026). Provisional figures may be revised.