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Furniture Manufacturing
La-Z-Boy, Ethan Allen, IKEA
Upholsterers
Upholsterers rebuild chairs, sofas, car seats, and other padded items by stripping off worn materials, replacing springs or foam, and fitting new fabric or leather by hand. The work mixes sewing, measuring, and light repair, and the main tradeoff is that it is highly hands-on and detail-heavy even though pay is only moderate and long-term demand is slipping.
Also known as Furniture UpholstererUpholstery TechnicianUpholstery Repair TechnicianFurniture ReupholstererCustom Upholstery Specialist
Median Salary
$46,190
Mean $46,960
U.S. Workforce
~21K
2.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-1.8%
22.7K to 22.3K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Upholsterers sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~21K workers, with a median annual pay of $46,190 and roughly 2.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 22.7 K in 2024 to 22.3K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Apprentice Upholsterer and can progress toward Upholstery Shop Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Upholstery Tools, Staplers & Fasteners, Industrial Sewing Machines & Heavy-Duty Needles, and Fabric Layout, Pattern Matching & Cutting, paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, and Active Learning.
Core Responsibilities
- Remove old fabric, padding, and broken springs from worn furniture or seats.
- Measure, trace, and cut new fabric or leather pieces from patterns.
- Rebuild the cushioning with foam, stuffing, webbing, or new springs so the surface sits smoothly.
- Stretch the new cover into place and fasten it with staples, glue, tacks, or hand tools.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Remove old fabric, padding, and broken springs from worn furniture or seats.
02 Measure, trace, and cut new fabric or leather pieces from patterns.
03 Rebuild the cushioning with foam, stuffing, webbing, or new springs so the surface sits smoothly.
04 Stretch the new cover into place and fasten it with staples, glue, tacks, or hand tools.
05 Sew torn seams, add tufting, and make small repairs to keep the upholstery neat and secure.
06 Read the job order, estimate what materials are needed, and fix minor frame damage or exposed wood.
Industries That Hire
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Commercial and Office Furniture
Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth
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Automotive Interiors
Ford, General Motors, Lear Corporation
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Marine and RV Manufacturing
Brunswick, Winnebago, Thor Industries
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Furniture Retail and Restoration
Ashley Furniture, Raymour & Flanigan, Restoration Hardware
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started with a high school diploma or even less, and the usual training is moderate-term on-the-job training rather than a long degree program.
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The median pay of $46,190 is reasonable for a trade that does not require college.
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Work is highly visible: you can see the difference between a worn-out piece and a finished one at the end of the day.
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There are still about 2.2 thousand annual openings, so people leave or retire often enough to keep entry opportunities available.
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The job can be specialized in furniture, automotive, marine, or custom restoration work, which gives experienced upholsterers more variety and niche options.
Challenges
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Pay is not especially high for the amount of physical effort involved, with a mean annual wage of $46,960 and a median of $46,190.
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The field is expected to shrink slightly, from 22.7 thousand jobs in 2024 to 22.3 thousand by 2034, a decline of 1.8%.
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The work can be tough on your body because it involves lifting, stretching, kneeling, and repeated hand work for long periods.
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Career growth can be limited unless you move into supervision, specialize in expensive custom work, or run your own shop.
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Demand depends on people repairing or re-covering furniture instead of replacing it, so cheaper mass-produced furniture and factory-built interiors can cut into work over time.
Career Progression
Apprentice Upholsterer
0-1 years
$30K-$36K
Learns how to strip old material, measure pieces, sew simple seams, and use basic hand and power tools safely.
Upholsterer
2-5 years
$41K-$50K
Handles standard re-covering jobs from start to finish and works on chairs, sofas, headboards, or vehicle interiors.
Lead Upholsterer THIS ROLE
6-10 years
$51K-$60K
Takes on custom builds, tricky repairs, and final quality checks for finished pieces before they leave the shop.
Upholstery Shop Supervisor
10+ years
$61K-$74K
Quotes jobs, schedules work, trains newer staff, and handles customer changes, special materials, and deadlines.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
The main entry point, held by 56.18% of workers in this role, usually followed by hands-on training on the job.
Less than a high school diploma
A sizable share of workers, 43.82%, enter without a diploma and learn the trade through direct shop experience.
Short upholstery, sewing, or furniture repair certificate
A short certificate can help with pattern cutting, sewing, and tool use, especially when paired with moderate-term on-the-job training.
Key Skills
Technical
Upholstery Tools, Staplers & Fasteners 68%
Industrial Sewing Machines & Heavy-Duty Needles 66%
Fabric Layout, Pattern Matching & Cutting 64%
Foam, Webbing & Spring Repair 63%
Measuring Tools, Templates & Work Orders 61%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive LearningActive ListeningComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision Making Job Outlook and Trends
+-1.8%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
2.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 22.7K to 22.3 K over the next decade, representing -1.8% growth. Around 2.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.