Also called: Cobbler, Leathersmith, Bootmaker
Makes or repairs shoes, boots, saddles, belts and other leather goods by hand and machine.
You resole a pair of worn-out work boots, stitching a new welt on an old-school machine that is older than your parents. Then you hand-cut leather for a custom belt order. Custom cowboy bootmakers can have waiting lists of a year or more.
Custom bootmakers and saddle makers with a reputation earn much more.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. No degree needed; learned through apprenticeship or on the job.
Ways in: Apprenticeship, On-the-job training, Self-taught. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Leatherworking (apprenticeship).
Shrinking (about -6% over 10 years). BLS projects decline, though the custom and repair niche is growing in popularity.
Low risk for 10 years. Handmade boots, saddles and repairs are custom craft work; machines do mass production overseas.
Age 16+. One way to start: Ask shoe-repair, saddle and leather shops for a trainee job
Classes: Art, Shop class.
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.