What is an Upholsterer?
Position Description Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.
Life As an Upholsterer: What Do They Do?
- Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.
- Interweave and fasten strips of webbing to the backs and undersides of furniture, using small hand tools and fasteners.
- Attach bindings or apply solutions to edges of cut material to prevent raveling.
- Draw cutting lines on material following patterns, templates, sketches, or blueprints, using chalk, pencils, paint, or other methods.
- Maintain records of time required to perform each job.
- Make, repair, or replace automobile upholstery and convertible and vinyl tops, using knowledge of fabric and upholstery methods.
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Upholsterer Skills
When polled, Upholsterers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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 Upholstery Mechanic
- Upholsterer Apprentice
- Inside Upholsterer
- Seat Cover Installer
- Car Seat Coverer
Are There Job Opportunities 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. 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.
Salary for an Upholsterer
The typical yearly salary for Upholsterers is somewhere between $21,860 and $52,450.

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 & Technology 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
How to Become an Upholsterer
Individuals working as an Upholsterer have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become an Upholsterer?

Where Upholsterers Work

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Similar Careers
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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