51 Series · SOC 51-6041

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$37,800
Median / year
$52,550
Top 10% earn
-3.8%
Growth '23–'33
7,450
US workers

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers earn a median of $37,800 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $37,800, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $28,210 (10th percentile) to $52,550 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 7,450 US workers. Tennessee pays the most ($52,520), since pay varies by state and metro area.

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
Share: Post LinkedIn

The pay verdict

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers earn a median of $37,800, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 8% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #98 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 3.8% by 2033.

$37,800
Median annual wage
Top 92%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#98 of 105
in Production
1.9×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Tennessee at $52,520. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers (SOC 51-6041) pays a national median of $37,800 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $28,210 at the 10th percentile to $52,550 at the 90th, with a mean of $39,160 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 7,450 Americans work in this occupation across 28 reporting states and 15 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -3.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Tennessee pays the highest state median at $52,520, which is +39% above the national figure. The top metro is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $46,550 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 7,450 jobs Median $37,800/yr

Median Salary

$37,800

per year

Median Hourly

$18.17/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$39,160

average

Employment

7,450

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$37,800 Bottom 8% higher than 8% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers sits on the slower-growing side at -3.8% growth and $37,800 median pay.

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers sits on the slower-growing side at -3.8% growth and $37,800 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers sits on the slower-growing side at -3.8% growth and $37,800 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-3.8%

Declining

Annual Openings

900

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

3.5/100K

Injury Rate

3.2/100

Danger Index

14.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 3.0
Speaking 3.0
Critical Thinking 3.0
Monitoring 3.0
Reading Comprehension 2.9
Social Perceptiveness 2.9
Coordination 2.9
Service Orientation 2.9
Operations Monitoring 2.9
Judgment and Decision Making 2.9

Knowledge Areas

Production and Processing 3.2
Customer and Personal Service 3.0
Mechanical 2.9
Sales and Marketing 2.6
Administration and Management 2.4
Education and Training 2.1
Engineering and Technology 2.0
Economics and Accounting 1.9
Design 1.9
English Language 1.9

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Prepare inserts, heel pads, and lifts from casts of customers' feet.
  • ▸ Dress and otherwise finish boots or shoes, as by trimming the edges of new soles and heels to the shoe shape.
  • ▸ Attach insoles to shoe lasts, affix shoe uppers, and apply heels and outsoles.
  • ▸ Clean and polish shoes.
  • ▸ Cement, nail, or sew soles and heels to shoes.
  • ▸ Check the texture, color, and strength of leather to ensure that it is adequate for a particular purpose.
  • ▸ Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes.
  • ▸ Shape shoe heels with a knife, and sand them on a buffing wheel for smoothness.
  • ▸ Place shoes on lasts to remove soles and heels, using knives or pliers.
  • ▸ Repair or replace soles, heels, and other parts of footwear, using sewing, buffing and other shoe repair machines, materials, and equipment.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$28,210$31,270$37,800$45,670$52,550
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$13.56$15.03$18.17$21.96$25.26
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$28,210

25th Percentile

$31,270

Median

$37,800

75th Percentile

$45,670

90th Percentile

$52,550

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Tennessee $52,520 2. Washington $48,310 3. New Jersey $46,790 4. Massachusetts $46,550 5. Arizona $45,510

Lowest Paying States

24. Mississippi $26,340 25. Texas $30,620 26. Oklahoma $30,720 27. Georgia $32,470 28. Pennsylvania $34,870
View all 28 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Tennessee $52,520 +39% above national
2 Washington $48,310 +28% above national
3 New Jersey $46,790 +24% above national
4 Massachusetts $46,550 +23% above national
5 Arizona $45,510 +20% above national
6 Wisconsin $44,000 +16% above national
7 Illinois $43,730 +16% above national
8 Minnesota $42,940 +14% above national
9 New York $42,100 +11% above national
10 New Hampshire $40,800 +8% above national
11 Idaho $40,000 +6% above national
12 Missouri $38,700 +2% above national
13 Utah $38,700 +2% above national
14 California $38,130 +1% above national
15 Maine $38,030 +1% above national
16 North Carolina $38,020 +1% above national
17 Virginia $37,230 2% below national
18 Indiana $36,810 3% below national
19 Colorado $36,170 4% below national
20 Alabama $35,970 5% below national
21 Ohio $35,950 5% below national
22 Michigan $35,940 5% below national
23 Florida $35,540 6% below national
24 Pennsylvania $34,870 8% below national
25 Georgia $32,470 14% below national
26 Oklahoma $30,720 19% below national
27 Texas $30,620 19% below national
28 Mississippi $26,340 30% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,550 2. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $46,210 3. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $45,960 4. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $45,640 5. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $39,960

Lowest Paying Metros

11. El Paso, TX $26,860 12. Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $29,140 13. Jacksonville, FL $30,120 14. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $32,050 15. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $35,470
View all 15 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $46,550 +23% above national
2 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $46,210 +22% above national
3 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $45,960 +22% above national
4 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $45,640 +21% above national
5 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $39,960 +6% above national
6 Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $38,470 +2% above national
7 Raleigh-Cary, NC $38,020 +1% above national
8 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $37,900 same as national
9 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $37,810 same as national
10 Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $36,300 4% below national
11 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $35,470 6% below national
12 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $32,050 15% below national
13 Jacksonville, FL $30,120 20% below national
14 Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area $29,140 23% below national
15 El Paso, TX $26,860 29% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.

Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders

SOC 51-9191

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

SOC 51-2011

Bakers

SOC 51-3011

Butchers and Meat Cutters

SOC 51-3021

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

SOC 51-7011
Compare Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers make? ▼
The median annual salary for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers is $37,800 ($18.17/hour). The salary range spans from $28,210 at the 10th percentile to $52,550 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers the most? ▼
Tennessee pays the highest median salary for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers at $52,520/year, which is +39% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers? ▼
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 3.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 3.2 per 100 workers.
Is Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers a good career? ▼
Employment for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers is projected to decline 3.8% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 900 openings are projected each year.
How does Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers pay vary by state? ▼
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Tennessee at $52,520/year, while Pennsylvania pays the least at $34,870/year. BLS data covers 28 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $46,550/year. BLS reports wage data for 15 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $45,670/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Tennessee leads at $52,520/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.