Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
SOC code 51-6041 · O*NET-SOC 51-6041.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Manufacturing and production
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$37,800
a year
Hourly
$18.17
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$39,160
$18.83 per hour
Middle 50%
$31,270 – $45,670
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$28,210 – $52,550
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
7,450
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $28,210
- $13.56/hr
- 25th percentile
- $31,270
- $15.03/hr
- Median percentile
- $37,800
- $18.17/hr
- 75th percentile
- $45,670
- $21.96/hr
- 90th percentile
- $52,550
- $25.26/hr
What do shoe and leather workers and repairers do?
Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- 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.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged) — 56% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)56%
- Less than a High School Diploma44%
Common questions
How much does a shoe and leather workers and repairers earn?
The national median is $37,800 a year. The full range runs from $28,210 at the 10th percentile to $52,550 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a shoe and leather workers and repairers without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Reading Comprehension2.9/5
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing3.2/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.0/5
- Mechanical2.9/5
- Sales and Marketing2.6/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Operations Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making.