Home › Production › Upholsterer
Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary
$49,000 / year
≈ $4,100 per month · $23.56 per hour
25th percentile
$38,500Average
$49,00075th percentile
$56,500
$38,500Average
$49,00075th percentile
$56,500
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Upholsterer salary by state
Alabama$44,000
Arizona$46,000
Arkansas$51,500
California$52,000
Colorado$48,500
Connecticut$55,000
Delaware$58,000
Florida$44,500
Georgia$53,000
Hawaii$55,500
Idaho$42,500
Illinois$44,500
Indiana$47,000
Iowa$44,500
Kansas$45,000
Kentucky$43,500
Louisiana$49,500
Maryland$53,500
Massachusetts$56,000
Michigan$48,500
Minnesota$51,000
Mississippi$45,000
Missouri$37,500
Montana$49,000
Nebraska$41,000
Nevada$51,000
New Jersey$52,500
New York$55,000
North Carolina$56,000
North Dakota$55,500
Ohio$43,000
Oklahoma$46,500
Oregon$49,000
Pennsylvania$45,000
Rhode Island$64,000
South Carolina$44,500
Tennessee$43,000
Texas$46,000
Utah$49,000
Virginia$39,500
Washington$63,500
Wisconsin$50,000
About this role
Upholsterer is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.
Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Upholsterers do
Typical education: High School Diploma
- 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.
Top skills: Critical Thinking Reading Comprehension Time Management Speaking Monitoring Judgment and Decision Making
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Upholsterer pay by experience level
Entry level$33,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$38,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$48,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$56,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$66,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-1.8%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
2,200
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Upholsterer salary by industry
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing
10,410 workers
$48,000Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only)
10,160 workers
$48,500Repair and Maintenance
4,950 workers
$47,500Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance
4,040 workers
$48,000Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
1,600 workers
$51,500Automotive Repair and Maintenance
910 workers
$45,500Ship and Boat Building
680 workers
$51,500Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
510 workers
$43,000Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers
490 workers
$51,500Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers
490 workers
$51,500National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Upholsterer pays 13% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Similar-paying roles in Production
Careers related to Upholsterer
Furniture Finisher$47,000
Sewers, Hand$38,500
Carpet Installer$59,000
Sewing Machine Operator$39,000
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Upholsterer make?
The average base salary for a Upholsterer in the United States is $49,000 per year, or about $23.56 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $38,500 and $56,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Put this data to work
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