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Skilled Trades

Upholsterers

Make, repair, or replace upholstery for household furniture or transportation vehicles.

Median salary (BLS)

$46,340

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$32k – $64k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Upholsterers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Upholsterers

    Entry / Junior

    $31,690

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Upholsterers

    Established

    $46,340

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Upholsterers

    Senior

    $55,055

Key skills

A typical 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.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.