What Does an Upholsterer Do?
A good frame deserves a second life. In furniture shops, auto trim shops and the maintenance departments of hotels and universities, upholsterers strip worn covers from sofas, chairs, car seats and boat cushions, rebuild the padding and springs underneath and fit new fabric. Sturdy frames often outlast several covers.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Box Spring Upholsterer, Furniture Upholsterer, Inside Upholsterer, Sofa Back Upholsterer, Stapler, Trimmer, Upholstered Goods Crafter, Upholstery Cutter.
Upholsterer Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an upholsterer include:
- Strip worn fabric, padding and webbing from chairs, sofas and booths down to the frame.
- Repair loose joints and broken frames with glue, dowels and clamps before re-covering.
- Replace springs, webbing and foam, cutting new cushions to the original shape.
- Measure and cut fabric, vinyl or leather to make the most of each roll and match patterns.
- Sew cushion covers, welting and seams on an industrial walking-foot sewing machine.
- Staple, tack and stretch covers smoothly over frames, and finish with trim or nailheads.
- Reupholster lounge furniture, auditorium seats, gym mats and vehicle seats for campus departments.
- Estimate yardage, labor and cost for each job, and order fabric from approved suppliers.
- Choose fabrics and foams that meet fire-safety rules for dorms, theaters and public buildings.
- Advise customers on fabric durability, cleaning and whether a piece is worth saving.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an upholsterer, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Industrial sewing machine operation
- Pattern making and fabric layout
- Pneumatic stapler and hand tool skills
- Basic woodworking for frame repairs
- An eye for straight seams and matched patterns
- Knowledge of foams, fabrics and fire-safety ratings
- Patience with detailed, repetitive work
- Strength for lifting sofas and heavy frames
Education and Training
Sewing experience could lead to a trainee spot. Training happens on the job after high school, and in the case of a small shop, it might be something as basic as stripping chairs for months before touching the machine. Many experienced upholsterers eventually open their own shops or specialize in antiques, boats or car interiors.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $37,340 - $54,580 per year, with a median of $46,340.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Upholsterers.
BLS projects employment of upholsterers to decline about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035. Openings should still average about 1,700 a year, according to the same projections, as older upholsterers retire. Much cheap furniture now goes to the curb when it wears out, but hotels, theaters, boat owners and antique collectors keep paying for skilled reupholstery.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Upholsterers.
Upholsterer Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $31,690 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $37,340 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $46,340 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $54,580 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $63,770 |
Highest-Paying States for Upholsterers
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Rhode Island ($63,360), Hawaii ($57,390), Washington ($55,970), North Dakota ($52,420), Connecticut ($50,870). Pay is lowest in Virginia ($31,950), Missouri ($29,990), Nebraska ($29,960).
Median pay in all 42 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,270 |
| Arizona | $41,860 |
| Arkansas | $43,660 |
| California | $48,580 |
| Colorado | $42,240 |
| Connecticut | $50,870 |
| Delaware | $49,860 |
| Florida | $37,840 |
| Georgia | $50,760 |
| Hawaii | $57,390 |
| Idaho | $39,730 |
| Illinois | $42,450 |
| Indiana | $45,080 |
| Iowa | $42,610 |
| Kansas | $43,260 |
| Kentucky | $41,690 |
| Louisiana | $49,920 |
| Maryland | $50,270 |
| Massachusetts | $48,380 |
| Michigan | $44,890 |
| Minnesota | $48,810 |
| Mississippi | $44,930 |
| Missouri | $29,990 |
| Montana | $41,600 |
| Nebraska | $29,960 |
| Nevada | $49,880 |
| New Jersey | $42,640 |
| New York | $47,320 |
| North Carolina | $50,600 |
| North Dakota | $52,420 |
| Ohio | $39,420 |
| Oklahoma | $38,020 |
| Oregon | $48,560 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,860 |
| Rhode Island | $63,360 |
| South Carolina | $38,880 |
| Tennessee | $38,020 |
| Texas | $42,930 |
| Utah | $44,590 |
| Virginia | $31,950 |
| Washington | $55,970 |
| Wisconsin | $47,010 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as upholsterers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
- 91% spend more than half the workday on their feet
- 85% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 62% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 59% bend or twist for more than half the day
- 57% wear safety gear such as gloves, safety glasses or a hard hat every day
- 42% deal with loud or distracting noise every day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or GED | 56% |
| Less than high school | 44% |
Tools and Software Upholsterers Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors as well as creative work and self-expression.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning, Monitoring.
Knowledge areas used most: Production and Processing, Design, Customer and Personal Service, Mechanical, Education and Training.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for an Upholsterer Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 51-6093.00 (Upholsterers). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 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. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.