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Upholsterers in Tennessee

Want to work as an Upholsterers in Tennessee? Here’s what the data says. Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.

What do Upholsterers Make in Tennessee?

For upholsterers working in Tennessee, wages run about $40,380 per year (or about $19.41/hour).Annual wages span from $28,590 at the 10th percentile to $50,630 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$28,590	$13.74
25th percentile	$31,960	$15.37
Median (50th)	$40,380	$19.41
75th percentile	$47,460	$22.82
90th percentile	$50,630	$24.34

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Tennessee compared to the national average — is 0.94.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, upholsterers earn a median of $34,327 per year ($16.50/hour), above the Tennessee median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 772,524 upholsterers across the United States. In Tennessee alone, approximately 420 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 290 upholsterers.

Top Tennessee Metros for Upholsterers

The largest metro-area employers of upholsterers in Tennessee.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN	80	$44,200
Knoxville, TN	70	$41,030
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	40	$42,900
Morristown, TN	40	$35,420

Top States for Upholsterers Employment

These states have the highest employment of upholsterers work.

State	Number Employed
North Carolina	3,860
Mississippi	2,480
California	1,880
Indiana	1,370
Florida	1,370
Georgia	900
Texas	730
Michigan	690
Ohio	660
New York	530
Tennessee	420
Illinois	410
Pennsylvania	410
Washington	400
Colorado	380
Missouri	380
Arizona	370
Nevada	360
Virginia	360
Oregon	300

Highest-Paying States for Upholsterers

Where upholsterers earn the most: upholsterers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Minnesota	$56,840
Colorado	$55,990
New Jersey	$55,290
Washington	$51,610
North Dakota	$51,370
Nebraska	$51,240
North Carolina	$50,140
Iowa	$49,670
Maryland	$49,510
Georgia	$49,120

Skills

Key upholsterers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for upholsterers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Fit, install, and secure material on frames, using hand tools, power tools, glue, cement, or staples.
• Measure and cut new covering materials, using patterns and measuring and cutting instruments, following sketches and design specifications.
• Build furniture up with loose fiber stuffing, cotton, felt, or foam padding to form smooth, rounded surfaces.
• Make, restore, or create custom upholstered furniture, using hand tools and knowledge of fabrics and upholstery methods.
• Read work orders, and apply knowledge and experience with materials to determine types and amounts of materials required to cover workpieces.
• Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs, and webbing to locate defects.
• Adjust or replace webbing, padding, or springs, and secure them in place.
• Sew rips or tears in material, or create tufting, using needles and thread.
• Remove covering, webbing, padding, or defective springs from workpieces, using hand tools such as hammers and tack pullers.
• Attach fasteners, grommets, buttons, buckles, ornamental trim, and other accessories to covers or frames, using hand tools.
• Repair furniture frames and refinish exposed wood.
• Interweave and fasten strips of webbing to the backs and undersides of furniture, using small hand tools and fasteners.

Work Activities

• Handling and Moving Objects
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Getting Information
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Thinking Creatively
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

• Leatherworking & Upholstery

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Related Careers

Related occupations to upholsterers include:

• Carpenters
• Carpet Installers
• Automotive Body and Related Repairers
• Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
• Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
• Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Also Known As

Aircraft Seat Upholsterer, Arm Maker, Arm Rest Builder, Automobile Upholsterer (Auto Upholsterer), Automotive Upholsterer, Body Trimmer Upholsterer, Box Spring Upholsterer, Car Seat Coverer, Car Seat Maker, Car Seat Upholsterer, Casket Coverer, Casket Trimmer, Chair Pad Maker, Chair Upholsterer, Convertible Top Installer.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-6093.00