What You Need to Know About Upholsterer
Job Description: Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.
What Do Upholsterers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples.
- Make, repair, or replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops, using knowledge of fabric and upholstery methods.
- Interweave and fasten strips of webbing to the backs and undersides of furniture, using small hand tools and fasteners.
- Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.
- Remove covering, webbing, padding, or defective springs from workpieces, using hand tools such as hammers and tack pullers.
- Design upholstery cover patterns and cutting plans, based on sketches, customer descriptions, or blueprints.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as an Upholsterer?
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.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Other Upholsterer Job Titles
- Furniture Upholsterer
- Seating Upholsterer
- Slipcover Cutter
- Convertible Top Installer
- Body Trimmer Upholsterer
What Kind of Upholsterer Job Opportunities Are There?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 41,600 jobs in the United States for Upholsterer. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Upholsterer. The BLS estimates 4,200 yearly job openings in this field.

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.
Average Upholsterers Salary
The average yearly salary of an Upholsterer ranges between $21,860 and $52,450.

Upholsterers who work in Nebraska, Washington, or Idaho, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Upholsterers 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?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Upholsterers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Becoming an Upholsterer
Learn what Upholsterer education requirements there are.

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Upholsterers Work?

Below are examples of industries where Upholsterers work:

Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming an Upholsterer might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Steven M O’Kelley via Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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