Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Salary
Production Occupations · 7.5K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$37,800
Median hourly
$18
Average annual
$39,160
Typical range
$28,210–$52,550
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers is $37,800 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $18 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools..
Most earn between $28,210 and $52,550 a year. There are roughly 7.5K people employed as shoe and leather workers and repairers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers.
- Hourly
- $18.17
- Daily
- $145
- Weekly
- $727
- Bi-weekly
- $1,454
- Monthly
- $3,150
- Annual
- $37,800
$37,800 a year is around the 50th percentile for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairerss. The median is $37,800.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Tennessee$52,520
- 2Washington$48,310
- 3New Jersey$46,790
- 4Massachusetts$46,550
- 5Arizona$45,510
- 6Wisconsin$44,000
- 7Illinois$43,730
- 8Minnesota$42,940
- 9New York$42,100
- 10New Hampshire$40,800
- 11Idaho$40,000
- 12Missouri$38,700
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$46,550
- 2Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$46,210
- 3New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$45,960
- 4Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$45,640
- 5Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$39,960
- 6Raleigh-Cary, NC$38,020
- 7Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$37,900
- 8Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$37,810
- 9San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$35,470
- 10Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$32,050
- 11Jacksonville, FL$30,120
- 12El Paso, TX$26,860
Related job titles
Employers advertise Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders$35,650
- Sewers, Hand$36,480
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic$46,170
- Sewing Machine Operators$36,670
- Upholsterers$46,340
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand$42,660
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers$52,540
- Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers$41,640
What a Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers does
- Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes.
- Cut out parts, following patterns or outlines, using knives, shears, scissors, or machine presses.
- Repair and recondition leather products such as trunks, luggage, shoes, saddles, belts, purses, and baseball gloves.
- Construct, decorate, or repair leather products according to specifications, using sewing machines, needles and thread, leather lacing, glue, clamps, hand tools, or rivets.
- Align and stitch or glue materials such as fabric, fleece, leather, or wood, to join parts.
- Inspect articles for defects, and remove damaged or worn parts, using hand tools.
- Drill or punch holes and insert or attach metal rings, handles, and fastening hardware, such as buckles.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers make?
- The median annual wage for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers is $37,800 ($18 per hour). Pay ranges from about $28,210 at the 10th percentile to $52,550 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $39,160, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairerss the most?
- Tennessee has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $52,520.
- Is Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 7.5K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers do?
- Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes.; Cut out parts, following patterns or outlines, using knives, shears, scissors, or machine presses.; Repair and recondition leather products such as trunks, luggage, shoes, saddles, belts, purses, and baseball gloves..