Upholsterers pay range in Durham
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,670 a year or less, while the top 10% make $62,440 or more. The middle half of upholsterers in Durham earn between $48,580 and $62,440.
- $42K10th
- $49K25th
- $51KMedian
- $62K75th
- $62K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $54,910 | $4,576 | $26.40 |
| Median | $51,060 | $4,255 | $24.55 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,580 | $4,048 | $23.36 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $62,440 | $5,203 | $30.02 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Upholsterers salary after taxes in Durham
On the average salary of $54,910, a single filer in Durham takes home about $44,618 a year, or $3,718 a month and $1,716 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Durham a good place for upholsterers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Durham area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.6), so the average $54,910 buys what about $56,276 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Durham ($60,720). A typical home costs $414,340, or 7.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Upholsterers salary in other North Carolina cities
Durham ranks 2nd of 5 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Hickory pays the most ($58,120).
- Hickory$58,120
- Durham$54,910
- Greensboro$49,870
- Raleigh$45,190
- Winston-Salem$42,310
Highest-paying cities for upholsterers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($67,380).
- San Jose, CA$67,380
- Seattle, WA$66,720
- Bridgeport, CT$61,350
- San Francisco, CA$59,910
- Providence, RI$58,700
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Upholsterers salary in Durham: questions
How much do upholsterers make an hour in Durham?
$26.40 an hour on average, and $24.55 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level upholsterers salary in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,670 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,580, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the upholsterers take-home pay in Durham?
About $44,618 a year ($3,718 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,910.
Do upholsterers earn more in Durham than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($49,660).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-6093; area Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (20500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.8%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.47, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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