by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Leatherworking & Upholstery explores Leatherworking And Upholstery. Continue reading for the essential details every leatherworking & upholstery major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering leatherworking & upholstery programs.
Across the country, leatherworking & upholstery draws strong interest, with 26 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Leatherworking & Upholstery Schools ranking analyzes these 6 schools to determine the best overall colleges for leatherworking & upholstery students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of leatherworking & upholstery programs later in this article.
Programs in Leatherworking & Upholstery emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations leatherworking & upholstery graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a leatherworking & upholstery program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a leatherworking & upholstery major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several leatherworking & upholstery degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 10 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 16 |
People currently working in careers related to leatherworking & upholstery tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 49.8% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 44.7% |
| Some college courses | 5.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in leatherworking & upholstery careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying leatherworking & upholstery can lead to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to leatherworking & upholstery.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to leatherworking & upholstery.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Upholsterers | 799,734 | 3.5% |
| Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | 554,404 | 2.3% |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | 226,522 | 4.9% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of leatherworking & upholstery graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $18,872 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for leatherworking & upholstery graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers leatherworking & upholstery grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders | $48,646 |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $39,627 |
| Upholsterers | $34,327 |
With 6 different leatherworking & upholstery programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased leatherworking & upholstery school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in leatherworking & upholstery, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Upholstery/Upholsterer | 26 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Precision Metal Working | 67,063 |
| Woodworking | 659 |
| Precision Production, Other | 95 |
| Boilermaking/Boilermaker | 25 |
| PRECISION PRODUCTION | 17 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
