Professional upholsterers are responsible for making, replacing and repairing all types of covers for all types of objects (e.g. automobiles, furniture, boats, restaurants, etc.). However, the majority of upholsterers focus on automotive and furniture, the two largest sectors of the industry. Some upholsters will specialize in one sector but many are generalists. You might think that the upholstery business in pretty straight forward, and it is, but you have to stay current on the latest trends, technologies, and styles if you want to have a successful career or run your own upholstery business.
The upholstery industry is changing. Customer needs and expectations are higher than ever and technology and services are advancing to meet those needs. You can’t just put any fabric in cars and buildings anymore; it has to be up to code and often fire resistant. Many upholsterers now work hand in hand with interior designers, engineers and architects in the development of designs and styles for rooms, autos and a large variety of other items.
About a quarter of all upholsterers work in home furniture manufacturing. About fifteen percent repair and maintain household and personal goods. The rest work in automotive and transportation equipment repair. Many upholsterers who start out as workers will eventually start their own upholstery businesses. In these instances, they’ll need to know a lot more about their business than just upholstery. They’ll need to understand the ins and outs of marketing, management, administration, finance and even accounting.
While there aren’t any formal education requirements, it’s beneficial to have at least a high school diploma. Upholsters usually enter the career through on-the-job training or an apprenticeship with an upholstery company. Since formal apprenticeships can be hard to come by, finding a school or college that offers an upholstery training program is usually the best option.
Upholstery programs are designed to prepare students to apply technical knowledge and skills to install springs, covering padding, filling, and finishing on items such as mattresses, furniture, caskets, automobile seats, and bedsprings.
The accredited technical schools, colleges, and universities listed below offer majors, degrees and training programs in upholstery repair, maintenance, and installation.
Arkansas State University-Beebe
| Phone Number: | (501) 882-3600 |
| Website: | www.asub.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Finge town |
| Campus housing: | Yes |
| Student Population: | 6,640 (6,640 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 25 to 1 |
Catawba Valley Community College
| Phone Number: | (828) 327-7000 |
| Website: | www.cvcc.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Rural fringe community |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 7,020 (7,020 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 14 to 1 |
Central Arizona College
| Phone Number: | (520) 494-5444 |
| Website: | www.centralaz.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Distant rural community |
| Campus housing: | Yes |
| Student Population: | 13,976 (13,976 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 34 to 1 |
Clover Park Technical College
| Phone Number: | (253) 589-5800 |
| Website: | www.cptc.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree 4-year certificate |
| Campus setting: | Large suburb |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 12,640 (12,640 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 72 to 1 |
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
| Phone Number: | (256) 352-8000 |
| Website: | www.wallacestate.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Rural fringe community |
| Campus housing: | Yes |
| Student Population: | 7,926 (7,926 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 25 to 1 |
Guilford Technical Community College
| Phone Number: | 336E13 |
| Website: | www.gtcc.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Rural fringe community |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 14,415 (14,415 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 16 to 1 |
Institucion Chaviano de Mayaguez
J F Ingram State Technical College
| Phone Number: | 334E12 |
| Website: | www.ingram.cc.al.us |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Rural fringe community |
| Campus housing: | Yes |
| Student Population: | 1,159 (1,159 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 29 to 1 |
Jefferson Community and Technical College
| Phone Number: | (502) 213-4000 |
| Website: | www.jefferson.kctcs.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Large city |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 19,878 (19,878 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 28 to 1 |
Jefferson Davis Community College
| Phone Number: | (251) 867-4832 |
| Website: | www.jdcc.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Distant town |
| Campus housing: | Yes |
| Student Population: | 1,919 (1,919 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 25 to 1 |
John C Calhoun State Community College
| Phone Number: | (256) 306-2500 |
| Website: | www.calhoun.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Rural fringe community |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 14,770 (14,770 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 27 to 1 |
Louisiana Technical College-Alexandria Campus
| Phone Number: | 318E12 |
| Website: | www.region6.ltc.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Small city |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 778 (778 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 18 to 1 |
Louisiana Technical College-Baton Rouge Campus
| Phone Number: | (225) 359-9201 |
| Website: | www.catc.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Midsize city |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 3,060 (3,060 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 36 to 1 |
Riverside Community College
| Phone Number: | (951) 222-8000 |
| Website: | www.rcc.edu/ |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree 4-year certificate |
| Campus setting: | Large city |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 57,145 (57,145 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 40 to 1 |
Southern Union State Community College
| Phone Number: | (256) 395-2211 |
| Website: | www.suscc.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Remote rural community |
| Campus housing: | Yes |
| Student Population: | 7,507 (7,507 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 27 to 1 |
Spokane Falls Community College
| Phone Number: | (509) 533-3500 |
| Website: | www.spokanefalls.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Rural fringe community |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 15,848 (15,848 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 28 to 1 |
Texarkana College
| Phone Number: | 904E13 |
| Website: | www.texarkanacollege.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Small city |
| Campus housing: | Yes |
| Student Population: | 6,280 (6,280 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 28 to 1 |
Western Piedmont Community College
| Phone Number: | (828) 438-6000 |
| Website: | www.wpcc.edu |
| School Type: | 2-year public |
| Awards Offered: | 1-year certificate 2-year certificate Associate’s degree |
| Campus setting: | Small city |
| Campus housing: | No |
| Student Population: | 4,163 (4,163 undergraduate) |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 10 to 1 |