Production
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
Also called: Boot Maker, Cobbler, Leather Worker, Saddle and Harness Maker
US median pay
$37,800
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-6.5%
declining
Openings a year (US)
1,000
10,300 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools.
What they do day to day
- Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes.
- Cut out parts, following patterns or outlines, using knives, shears, scissors, or machine presses.
- Construct, decorate, or repair leather products according to specifications, using sewing machines, needles and thread, leather lacing, glue, clamps, hand tools, or rivets.
- Repair and recondition leather products such as trunks, luggage, shoes, saddles, belts, purses, and baseball gloves.
- Align and stitch or glue materials such as fabric, fleece, leather, or wood, to join parts.
- Inspect articles for defects, and remove damaged or worn parts, using hand tools.
- Drill or punch holes and insert or attach metal rings, handles, and fastening hardware, such as buckles.
- Prepare inserts, heel pads, and lifts from casts of customers' feet.
- Dress and otherwise finish boots or shoes, as by trimming the edges of new soles and heels to the shoe shape.
- Attach insoles to shoe lasts, affix shoe uppers, and apply heels and outsoles.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Service Orientation2.9/5
- Operations Monitoring2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Coordination2.9/5
- Time Management2.8/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.5/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.4/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing3.2/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.0/5
- Mechanical2.9/5
- Sales and Marketing2.6/5
- Administration and Management2.4/5
- Education and Training2.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma56%
- Less than high school44%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Artistic
Creating, designing and self-expression
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.