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Upholsterer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an upholsterer is $79,400 per annum, before tax, up $16,500 since 2018.
Most upholsterers are covered by the manufacturing award, so base rates rise with the classification level you reach and with any enterprise agreement in your workplace. Automotive trimming, marine work and antique restoration generally pay more than volume furniture production, and setting your own prices in a small workshop is where earnings can grow furthest. Rates also differ between states and between city and regional workshops.
How to negotiate a higher upholsterer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time upholsterer salary is $79,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Upholsterers are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Hand and power tool work and Fabrication and finishing tend to command a premium over general upholsterer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Upholsterer salary questions
How much do upholsterers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an upholsterer is $79,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is upholsterer pay rising or falling?
The median upholsterer salary is up $16,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.