Tailor

O*NET: Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers·51-6052.00

The Verdict:Custom tailoring demands hands-on measuring, cutting, sewing, and fitting garments to each customer's unique body and fabric behavior. No robotic system handles the tactile adjustments in variable materials. AI aids design and costing but cannot perform the physical craft. Demand persists for bespoke work amid fast fashion, ensuring the role's stability over the next decade.

Resilience Score

/100

Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$41k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

-4.5%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 3 of 22 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

14%

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role's core work is hard to automate.
17 of 22 tasks require human judgment, presence, or trust. The 9% that are AI-leverage offer an edge — professionals who learn these tools will outperform those who don't.

3exposed

2AI leverage

17human-essential

View all 22 tasks

AI Can Handle This3 tasks

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements.

Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments.

Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed.

AI Leverage2 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.

Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric.

Human Advantage17 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines.

Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.

Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.

Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.

Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.

Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.

Trim excess material, using scissors.

Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.

Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.

Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.

Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves.

Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.

Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines.

Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling.

Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors.

Put in padding and shaping materials.

Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments.

Resilience Landscape

Tailor lands in Stable, Lower Pay

Higher Resilience Paths in Trades

Trades

Tailor

Task Analysis

Resilience Landscape

Higher Resilience Paths in Trades

Aircraft Mechanic

Automotive Mechanic

Electrical Power-Line Installer