Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Shirt Pressers
Shirt Pressers press or shape articles by hand or machine.
Table of contents
What they do
Shirt Pressers press or shape articles by hand or machine.
- Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
- Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
- Straighten, smooth, or shape materials to prepare them for pressing.
- Remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Shirt Pressers sew ends of new material to leaders or ends of material in pressing machines, using sewing machines. They remove finished pieces from pressing machines and hang or stack them for cooling, or forward them for additional processing.
A typical day for a Shirt Presser will also include:
- Operate steam, hydraulic, or other pressing machines to remove wrinkles from garments and flatwork items, or to shape, form, or patch articles.
- Push and pull irons over surfaces of articles to smooth or shape them.
- Hang, fold, package, and tag finished articles for delivery to customers.
- Select appropriate pressing machines, based on garment properties such as heat tolerance.
- Finish pants, jackets, shirts, skirts and other dry-cleaned and laundered articles, using hand irons.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Shirt Pressers also clean and maintain pressing machines, using cleaning solutions and lubricants. They may also position materials such as cloth garments, felt, or straw on tables, dies, or feeding mechanisms of pressing machines, or on ironing boards or work tables.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Shirt Pressers finish velvet garments by steaming them on bucks of hot-head presses or steam tables and brushing pile (nap) with hand brushes. They might also measure fabric to specifications, cut uneven edges with shears, fold material, and press it with an iron to form a heading.
In addition, they select, install, and adjust machine components, including pressing forms, rollers, and guides, using hoists and hand tools.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them brush materials made of suede, leather, or felt to remove spots or to raise and smooth naps.
To some Shirt Pressers, it is also their responsibility to finish fancy garments such as evening gowns and costumes, using hand irons to produce high-quality finishes.
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What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
It is very easy to get into this career. Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required to get started.
Short working hours (Less than 40 hours per week).
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Shirt Pressers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $19,060 to $21,910 per year or $9 to $11 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $32,410 | $16 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $29,580 | $14 |
| Median | $25,580 | $12 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $21,910 | $11 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $19,060 | $9 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Shirt Pressers based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | $28510 | $13.71 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | $28380 | $13.64 |
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | $27410 | $13.18 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | $27300 | $13.13 |
| Employment Services | $26670 | $12.82 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $26090 | $12.55 |
| Drycleaning and Laundry Services | $25940 | $12.47 |
| Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | $25280 | $12.16 |
| Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers | $25120 | $12.08 |
| Apparel Knitting Mills | $24020 | $11.55 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Shirt Pressers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Shirt Pressers including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drycleaning and Laundry Services | 28300 | $25940 | $12.47 |
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 1210 | $27410 | $13.18 |
| Clothing Stores | 280 | $23410 | $11.26 |
| Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | 260 | $25280 | $12.16 |
| Employment Services | 210 | $26670 | $12.82 |
| Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers | 150 | $25120 | $12.08 |
| Traveler Accommodation | 140 | $26090 | $12.55 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | 130 | $28380 | $13.64 |
| Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 120 | $28510 | $13.71 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 70 | $27300 | $13.13 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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