Upholsterer Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Upholsterers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$46,340
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$22.28
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$63,770
entry level starts ~$31,690
Pay Grade
C+
modest pay · 20,000 employed

How much does an Upholsterer make?

An Upholsterer earns a median annual salary of $46,340 in the United States, which works out to roughly $22.28 per hour for full-time work. Most Upholsterers earn between $31,690 at the entry level and $63,770 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,340 and $54,580 a year.

That is $15,050 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Upholsterer salary range by percentile

Half of all Upholsterers earn between $37,340 and $54,580 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$31,690$15.24
25th percentile (early career)$37,340$17.95
50th percentile (median)$46,340$22.28
75th percentile (experienced)$54,580$26.24
90th percentile (top earners)$63,770$30.66

Highest-paying states for Upholsterer

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Rhode Island leads the country for Upholsterer pay at $63,360 a year, followed by Hawaii ($57,390) and Washington ($55,970). At the other end, Nebraska posts the lowest median at $29,960 — a gap of $33,400 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Rhode Island$63,360$30.46+37%
2Hawaii$57,390$27.59+24%
3Washington$55,970$26.91+21%
4North Dakota$52,420$25.20+13%
5Connecticut$50,870$24.46+10%

Workforce and education

About 20,000 people work as Upholsterers in the United States. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Upholsterer make in the United States?
The median Upholsterer salary in the United States is $46,340 per year, or about $22.28 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $31,690, while the top 10% of earners make $63,770 or more.
How does Upholsterer pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C+ (modest pay), the Upholsterer median of $46,340 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Upholsterers the most?
Rhode Island is the highest-paying state for Upholsterers, with a median salary of $63,360 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become an Upholsterer?
Becoming an Upholsterer typically requires a high school diploma. A high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job.
How many Upholsterers work in the United States?
About 20,000 people were employed as Upholsterers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.