Upholsterer salary in the U.S.
Upholsterers in the U.S. earn a median of $46,340 a year ($22.28 an hour), based on BLS data for 20,140 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,690 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,770 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $47,340, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for upholsterers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,690 | $15.24 |
| 25th percentile | $37,340 | $17.95 |
| Median | $46,340 | $22.28 |
| 75th percentile | $54,580 | $26.24 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,770 | $30.66 |
| Average (mean) | $47,340 | $22.76 |
Half of upholsterers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,861.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,930.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,782.31 |
| Weekly | $891.15 |
| Hourly | $22.28 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Upholsterer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $63,360 | 30 |
| Hawaii | $57,390 | 30 |
| Washington | $55,970 | 200 |
| North Dakota | $52,420 | n/a |
| Connecticut | $50,870 | 210 |
| Georgia | $50,760 | 780 |
| North Carolina | $50,600 | 4,050 |
| Maryland | $50,270 | 200 |
| Louisiana | $49,920 | 80 |
| Nevada | $49,880 | 220 |
| Delaware | $49,860 | 40 |
| Minnesota | $48,810 | 60 |
| California | $48,580 | 1,640 |
| Oregon | $48,560 | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $48,380 | 150 |
| New York | $47,320 | 480 |
| Wisconsin | $47,010 | 260 |
| Indiana | $45,080 | 1,400 |
| Mississippi | $44,930 | 2,410 |
| Michigan | $44,890 | 500 |
| Utah | $44,590 | 90 |
| Arkansas | $43,660 | 210 |
| Kansas | $43,260 | 260 |
| Texas | $42,930 | 710 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,860 | 280 |
| New Jersey | $42,640 | 410 |
| Iowa | $42,610 | 80 |
| Illinois | $42,450 | 250 |
| Colorado | $42,240 | 160 |
| Arizona | $41,860 | 180 |
| Kentucky | $41,690 | 80 |
| Montana | $41,600 | 40 |
| Idaho | $39,730 | 190 |
| Ohio | $39,420 | 380 |
| South Carolina | $38,880 | 140 |
| Alabama | $38,270 | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $38,020 | 150 |
| Tennessee | $38,020 | 460 |
| Florida | $37,840 | 1,530 |
| Virginia | $31,950 | 340 |
| Missouri | $29,990 | n/a |
| Nebraska | $29,960 | 110 |
Best-paying metro areas for upholsterers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,140 | 120 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $63,360 | 50 |
| Madison, WI | $60,800 | 40 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $59,700 | 2,220 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $59,270 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $57,610 | 170 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $57,560 | 50 |
| Reno, NV | $53,750 | 40 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $51,060 | 70 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $50,590 | 90 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $49,110 | 130 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $49,050 | 200 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $49,040 | 750 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $49,000 | 110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $48,730 | 170 |
Metro areas with the most upholsterers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 2,220 | $59,700 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 940 | $47,630 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 750 | $49,040 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 620 | $46,890 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 570 | $37,840 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 430 | $38,270 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 280 | $43,520 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 240 | $47,630 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 240 | $43,380 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 230 | $45,590 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 220 | $46,230 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 220 | $36,760 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 200 | $49,050 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 180 | $46,850 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 180 | $39,520 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $34,890 | $16.78 |
| Sewing Machine Operator | $36,670 | $17.63 |
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $35,060 | $16.85 |
| Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,670 | $18.59 |
| Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $41,640 | $20.02 |
| Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other | $37,280 | $17.93 |
| Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $39,530 | $19.01 |
| Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | $46,350 | $22.29 |
| Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,760 | $18.64 |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $37,800 | $18.17 |
| Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | $38,180 | $18.36 |
| Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | $35,650 | $17.14 |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $62,750 | $30.17 |
| Sewers, Hand | $36,480 | $17.54 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-6093. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a upholsterer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for upholsterers in the U.S. is $46,340 a year, or $22.28 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,690 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,770 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid upholsterers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of upholsterers in the U.S. earn at least $63,770 a year. The top 25% earn $54,580 or more.
What is the starting pay for upholsterers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,690 a year, and a quarter of upholsterers earn $37,340 or less.
How many upholsterers work in the U.S.?
About 20,140 upholsterers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.