Production
Shoe and leather workers and repairers
Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools.
Median pay
$37,800
Growth to 2035
−6%
declining
Openings a year
1,000
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Shoe and leather workers and repairers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to shoe and leather workers and repairers
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Shoe and leather workers and repairers: 35% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
- Construct, decorate, or repair leather products according to specifications, using sewing machines, needles and thread, leather lacing, glue, clamps, hand tools, or rivets.
- Repair and recondition leather products such as trunks, luggage, shoes, saddles, belts, purses, and baseball gloves.
- 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.
Also called: Boot Maker · Cobbler · Leather Worker · Saddle and Harness Maker · Shoe Cutter · Shoe Maker · Shoe Repairer · Shoe Repairman
Outlook and AI
Shoe and leather workers and repairers held 10,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 9,600 by 2035 (−6%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Shoe machine operators and tenders
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Sewers, hand
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Sewing machine operator
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Upholsterer
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Grinding and polishing workers, hand
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Furniture finisher
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers
- Shoe and leather workers and repairers vs. Cutters and trimmers, hand