Production
Upholsterers
Also called: Box Spring Upholsterer, Furniture Upholsterer, Inside Upholsterer, Sofa Back Upholsterer
US median pay
$46,340
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-2.3%
declining
Openings a year (US)
1,700
22,700 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.
What they do day to day
- 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Time Management3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Service Orientation2.9/5
- Operations Monitoring2.9/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.8/5
- Operation and Control2.8/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing3.1/5
- Design3.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service2.9/5
- Mechanical2.8/5
- Education and Training2.7/5
- Mathematics2.6/5
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
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.