Upholsterers
Upholsterers (SOC 51-6093) earn a median $46,340 a year ($22.28 an hour) in the United States, with 20,140 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Rhode Island.
What upholsterers do
Upholsterers make, repair, and replace the padded coverings of household furniture and of transportation vehicles. In a repair job, they begin by examining the frame, springs, webbing, and old covering to find what has failed. They rebuild the shape with padding such as foam, cotton, felt, or loose fiber stuffing to give smooth rounded surfaces, then measure and cut new covering material according to patterns and design specifications. The covering is fitted and secured to the frame with staples, glue, cement, or other fasteners, using hand and power tools. Custom upholstered furniture may also be made or restored, with hand tools and an understanding of fabrics and upholstery techniques. Webbing, padding, and springs are adjusted or replaced as needed, and rips and tears are sewn or tufting created with needles and thread.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Aircraft Seat Upholsterer, Arm Maker, Arm Rest Builder, Automobile Upholsterer (Auto Upholsterer), Automotive Upholsterer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.24 | $17.95 | $22.28 | $26.24 | $30.66 | $22.76 | 20,140 |
| Annual | $31,690 | $37,340 | $46,340 | $54,580 | $63,770 | $47,340 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where upholsterers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $27.42 | $28.08 | $30.46 | $30.46 | $30.46 | $29.70 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $57,030 | $58,410 | $63,360 | $63,360 | $63,360 | $61,780 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $14.72 | $16.02 | $27.59 | $34.84 | $38.64 | $25.82 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $30,610 | $33,320 | $57,390 | $72,460 | $80,370 | $53,710 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.27 | $23.22 | $26.91 | $35.12 | $40.62 | $29.52 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $44,250 | $48,310 | $55,970 | $73,050 | $84,480 | $61,410 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $17.95 | $21.32 | $25.20 | $30.97 | $31.50 | $25.75 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $37,340 | $44,350 | $52,420 | $64,420 | $65,530 | $53,550 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $19.29 | $19.71 | $24.46 | $28.50 | $36.35 | $25.57 | 210 | 0.13 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $40,120 | $41,000 | $50,870 | $59,270 | $75,610 | $53,190 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $18.40 | $21.97 | $24.33 | $29.79 | $35.81 | $25.91 | 4,050 | 0.82 | 6.33 |
| Annual | $38,270 | $45,690 | $50,600 | $61,950 | $74,490 | $53,890 | ||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $15.42 | $17.89 | $21.60 | $23.11 | $24.46 | $20.84 | 2,410 | 2.07 | 16.01 |
| Annual | $32,070 | $37,200 | $44,930 | $48,060 | $50,880 | $43,340 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.13 | $20.31 | $23.36 | $27.50 | $30.20 | $24.06 | 1,640 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $37,710 | $42,240 | $48,580 | $57,200 | $62,810 | $50,040 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $15.23 | $17.33 | $18.19 | $23.41 | $27.15 | $20.78 | 1,530 | 0.15 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $31,670 | $36,050 | $37,840 | $48,700 | $56,470 | $43,220 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $16.84 | $18.21 | $21.67 | $24.73 | $28.15 | $21.95 | 1,400 | 0.44 | 3.37 |
| Annual | $35,020 | $37,880 | $45,080 | $51,430 | $58,550 | $45,650 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $21.21 | $23.82 | $31.32 | $39.66 | $43.04 | $32.08 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $44,120 | $49,550 | $65,140 | $82,480 | $89,510 | $66,720 | ||||
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | Hourly | $21.30 | $27.42 | $30.46 | $30.46 | $33.92 | $28.22 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $44,300 | $57,030 | $63,360 | $63,360 | $70,550 | $58,700 | ||||
| Madison, WI | Hourly | $18.49 | $22.79 | $29.23 | $35.38 | $35.38 | $28.03 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $38,460 | $47,400 | $60,800 | $73,600 | $73,600 | $58,290 | ||||
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | Hourly | $21.40 | $23.32 | $28.70 | $30.15 | $37.01 | $27.94 | 2,220 | 14.41 | 111.23 |
| Annual | $44,520 | $48,510 | $59,700 | $62,710 | $76,970 | $58,120 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $19.29 | $21.05 | $28.50 | $31.10 | $44.33 | $29.49 | 50 | 0.13 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $40,120 | $43,780 | $59,270 | $64,700 | $92,210 | $61,350 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | Hourly | $21.40 | $23.32 | $28.70 | $30.15 | $37.01 | $27.94 | 2,220 | 14.41 | 111.23 |
| Annual | $44,520 | $48,510 | $59,700 | $62,710 | $76,970 | $58,120 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.96 | $20.31 | $22.90 | $25.64 | $28.33 | $23.15 | 940 | 0.15 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $37,370 | $42,240 | $47,630 | $53,330 | $58,930 | $48,140 | ||||
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | Hourly | $16.50 | $21.36 | $23.58 | $28.40 | $29.31 | $23.98 | 750 | 2.04 | 15.76 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $44,430 | $49,040 | $59,060 | $60,950 | $49,870 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.38 | $18.39 | $22.54 | $30.07 | $40.00 | $25.22 | 620 | 0.07 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $36,140 | $38,260 | $46,890 | $62,550 | $83,200 | $52,450 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $15.16 | $17.41 | $18.19 | $23.86 | $26.74 | $20.95 | 570 | 0.20 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $31,520 | $36,210 | $37,840 | $49,630 | $55,620 | $43,570 | ||||
Top industries employing upholsterers
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) employ 50.4% of upholsterers nationally (10,160 jobs) at a median $46,010 a year ($22.12 an hour), followed by Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance (20.1%) and Automotive Repair and Maintenance (4.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 10,160 | 50.4% | $46,010 | $22.12 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811400 | 4,040 | 20.1% | $46,380 | $22.30 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811100 | 910 | 4.5% | $44,560 | $21.42 |
| Ship and Boat Building NAICS 336600 | 680 | 3.4% | $48,740 | $23.43 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336300 | 510 | 2.5% | $38,720 | $18.62 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (20,140). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,420 for upholsterers in May 2021 and $46,340 in May 2025, with employment of 28,020 and 20,140.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,420 | $17.99 | 28,020 |
| May 2022 | $39,600 | $19.04 | 26,990 |
| May 2023 | $42,730 | $20.54 | 25,740 |
| May 2024 | $46,190 | $22.21 | 20,990 |
| May 2025 | $46,340 | $22.28 | 20,140 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
42 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island profile | $30.46 | $63,360 | $57,030 | $63,360 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.52 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $27.59 | $57,390 | $30,610 | $80,370 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.40 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $26.91 | $55,970 | $44,250 | $84,480 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.43 |
| 4 | North Dakota profile | $25.20 | $52,420 | $37,340 | $65,530 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | $24.46 | $50,870 | $40,120 | $75,610 | 210 | 0.13 | 0.97 |
| 6 | Georgia profile | $24.41 | $50,760 | $29,320 | $73,480 | 780 | 0.16 | 1.23 |
| 7 | North Carolina profile | $24.33 | $50,600 | $38,270 | $74,490 | 4,050 | 0.82 | 6.33 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $24.17 | $50,270 | $38,550 | $63,430 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.57 |
| 9 | Louisiana profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $33,920 | $57,290 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.31 |
| 10 | Nevada profile | $23.98 | $49,880 | $24,960 | $71,030 | 220 | 0.14 | 1.09 |
| 11 | Delaware profile | $23.97 | $49,860 | $40,120 | $82,000 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.66 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $23.47 | $48,810 | $43,680 | $58,630 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.15 |
| 13 | California profile | $23.36 | $48,580 | $37,710 | $62,810 | 1,640 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| 14 | Oregon profile | $23.35 | $48,560 | $38,120 | $58,290 | 250 | 0.13 | 0.98 |
| 15 | Massachusetts profile | $23.26 | $48,380 | $40,120 | $77,050 | 150 | 0.04 | 0.32 |
| 16 | New York profile | $22.75 | $47,320 | $35,300 | $81,670 | 480 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| 17 | Wisconsin profile | $22.60 | $47,010 | $26,850 | $71,210 | 260 | 0.09 | 0.67 |
| 18 | Indiana profile | $21.67 | $45,080 | $35,020 | $58,550 | 1,400 | 0.44 | 3.37 |
| 19 | Mississippi profile | $21.60 | $44,930 | $32,070 | $50,880 | 2,410 | 2.07 | 16.01 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $21.58 | $44,890 | $36,770 | $60,300 | 500 | 0.11 | 0.88 |
| 21 | Utah profile | $21.44 | $44,590 | $32,570 | $60,680 | 90 | 0.05 | 0.40 |
| 22 | Arkansas profile | $20.99 | $43,660 | $30,650 | $65,240 | 210 | 0.16 | 1.22 |
| 23 | Kansas profile | $20.80 | $43,260 | $33,390 | $64,810 | 260 | 0.18 | 1.39 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $20.64 | $42,930 | $29,360 | $61,730 | 710 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania profile | $20.61 | $42,860 | $31,520 | $60,050 | 280 | 0.05 | 0.35 |
| 26 | New Jersey profile | $20.50 | $42,640 | $36,250 | $74,480 | 410 | 0.10 | 0.74 |
| 27 | Iowa profile | $20.49 | $42,610 | $31,660 | $52,980 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| 28 | Illinois profile | $20.41 | $42,450 | $34,300 | $60,200 | 250 | 0.04 | 0.32 |
| 29 | Colorado profile | $20.31 | $42,240 | $35,500 | $60,890 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.42 |
| 30 | Arizona profile | $20.13 | $41,860 | $35,310 | $59,600 | 180 | 0.05 | 0.42 |
| 31 | Kentucky profile | $20.04 | $41,690 | $38,020 | $45,090 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.32 |
| 32 | Montana profile | $20.00 | $41,600 | $37,250 | $59,280 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.68 |
| 33 | Idaho profile | $19.10 | $39,730 | $28,240 | $49,900 | 190 | 0.23 | 1.74 |
| 34 | Ohio profile | $18.95 | $39,420 | $27,310 | $57,980 | 380 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| 35 | South Carolina profile | $18.69 | $38,880 | $33,210 | $56,590 | 140 | 0.06 | 0.48 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $18.40 | $38,270 | $30,850 | $67,410 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.44 |
| 37 | Oklahoma profile | $18.28 | $38,020 | $28,490 | $88,700 | 150 | 0.09 | 0.69 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | $18.28 | $38,020 | $29,580 | $50,610 | 460 | 0.14 | 1.07 |
| 39 | Florida profile | $18.19 | $37,840 | $31,670 | $56,470 | 1,530 | 0.15 | 1.19 |
| 40 | Virginia profile | $15.36 | $31,950 | $26,640 | $59,270 | 340 | 0.08 | 0.64 |
| 41 | Missouri profile | $14.42 | $29,990 | $28,600 | $51,910 | ** | ** | ** |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $14.40 | $29,960 | $28,520 | $53,110 | 110 | 0.11 | 0.86 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-6090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-6093 Upholsterers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-6093, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-6093.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.