Also called: Shoe Repairer, Shoe and Leather Worker
Repairs and custom-makes shoes, boots, and leather goods.
They resole boots, stretch shoes, fix broken heels, and stitch leather bags in a small shop full of old machines. Some build custom cowboy boots or orthopedic shoes by hand. The trade is shrinking, so skilled cobblers are rare.
Based on BLS shoe and leather workers and repairers, May 2024 estimates.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Apprenticeship, about 1 year after high school. Learned through apprenticeship or on the job.
Ways in: Apprenticeship, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Leatherworking.
Shrinking (about -5% over 10 years). Declining, but few new cobblers means less competition.
Low risk for 10 years. Hands-on shoe and leather repair can't be automated, and few young people train, so skilled cobblers are scarce.
Classes: Woodshop or leatherwork, Art 3-D Design, Business basics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-6041.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.