Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

Career Overview

Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools.

Also Known As

• Boot Maker
• Cobbler
• Shoe Maker
• Shoe Repairer

Alternate Job Titles

• Back Shoe Cutter
• Bench Hand
• Boot and Saddle Repair Person
• Boot Maker
• Boot Repairer
• Bootmaker
• Cobbler
• Custom Leather Products Maker
• Custom Shoe Maker
• Custom Shoemaker
• Dyer
• Finger Cobbler
• Footwear Stitcher
• Hand Bootmaker
• Harness Maker

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• 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.

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Near Vision
• Finger Dexterity
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Problem Sensitivity
• Oral Comprehension
• Visualization
• Speech Recognition
• Control Precision
• Manual Dexterity
• Selective Attention

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Cautiousness
• Perseverance
• Achievement Orientation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Support
• Achievement
• Relationships
• Independence
• Working Conditions

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: 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.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Microsoft Excel

Tools & Equipment

• Automatic sole stitchers
• Bench trimmers
• Block planes
• Buffing wheels
• Cobblers' pincers
• Computer inkjet printers
• Cordless drills
• Credit card readers
• Digital calipers
• Digital scales
• Electronic cash registers
• Hand clamps
• Heavy duty scissors
• Heel-nailing machines
• Hole punching equipment

Work Environment

• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Exposed to Contaminants
• Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
• Freedom to Make Decisions

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$25,170
Median	$35,950
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$48,090

Workers Employed Nationally: 7,640

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.