All About Upholsterers
Position Description Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.
Daily Life Of an Upholsterer
- Collaborate with interior designers to decorate rooms and coordinate furnishing fabrics.
- Discuss upholstery fabrics, colors, and styles with customers, and provide cost estimates.
- Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.
- Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs, and webbing to locate defects.
- Read work orders, and apply knowledge and experience with materials to determine types and amounts of materials required to cover workpieces.
- Make, repair, or replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops, using knowledge of fabric and upholstery methods.
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Upholsterer Needed Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Upholsterers say are important on the job.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Upholsterer Jobs
- Stapler
- Top and Trim Worker
- Slip Cover Cutter
- Sofa Back Upholsterer
- Dining Chair Seat Cushion Trimmer
Job Outlook for Upholsterers
In the United States, there were 41,600 jobs for Upholsterer in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Upholsterer. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,200 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Upholsterer are Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Rhode Island, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Upholsterer Salary
The salary for Upholsterers ranges between about $21,860 and $52,450 a year.

Upholsterers who work in Nebraska, Washington, or Idaho, make the highest salaries.
How much do Upholsterers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $33,850 |
Arizona | $35,290 |
Arkansas | $27,460 |
California | $37,980 |
Colorado | $38,900 |
Connecticut | $41,100 |
Florida | $33,240 |
Georgia | $36,920 |
Hawaii | $44,820 |
Idaho | $45,310 |
Illinois | $32,660 |
Indiana | $35,860 |
Iowa | $36,330 |
Kentucky | $36,120 |
Louisiana | $33,810 |
Maryland | $37,150 |
Massachusetts | $38,260 |
Michigan | $29,920 |
Minnesota | $39,060 |
Mississippi | $33,740 |
Missouri | $32,560 |
Montana | $33,480 |
Nebraska | $53,600 |
Nevada | $36,350 |
New Hampshire | $42,390 |
New Jersey | $40,150 |
New Mexico | $24,740 |
New York | $39,930 |
North Carolina | $39,580 |
Ohio | $32,150 |
Oklahoma | $30,130 |
Oregon | $33,630 |
Pennsylvania | $38,350 |
Rhode Island | $33,540 |
South Carolina | $30,680 |
Tennessee | $29,160 |
Texas | $31,590 |
Utah | $32,220 |
Vermont | $33,590 |
Virginia | $31,110 |
Washington | $46,950 |
Wisconsin | $36,210 |
What Tools do Upholsterers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Upholsterers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Becoming an Upholsterer
Education needed to be an Upholsterer:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Upholsterers Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Upholsterers employed by various industries.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being an Upholsterer may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit: Steven M O’Kelley via Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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