Cut, shape, and assemble wooden articles or set up and operate a variety of woodworking machines, such as power saws, jointers, and mortisers to surface, cut, or shape lumber or to fabricate parts for wood products.
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Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. CareerOneStop's licensing data records no state license for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters, which usually means it is not a licensed occupation. Requirements can still vary by employer and state.
Certifications. CareerOneStop directly links 2 professional certifications to Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters. 2 of them are in CareerOneStop's "Core" group, for example: Industrial Carpenter, Industrial Carpenter. Certifications are voluntary credentials offered by the organizations named; listing one is not an endorsement.
Working conditions. On average, workers stand or walk about 7.6 hours and sit about 0.5 hours per day. The typical heaviest weight lifted or carried is about 50.0 pounds. For 55.8% of workers the job requires medium strength. Shares of workers who have a consistently fast work pace (35.0%), cannot pause their work (59.0%), and are exposed to the outdoors (11.9%). From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Requirements Survey (2023 estimates); figures describe the occupation on average.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Pay by education level. Among full-time, year-round cabinetmakers and bench carpenters ages 25 to 64, median yearly pay is $48,700 with a high school diploma or GED and $49,700 with some college or an associate's degree (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024 dollars). Pay differs for many reasons besides education, such as experience, employer and location.
Industries that employ this career. The largest shares of cabinetmakers and bench carpenters work in Manufacturing (91%) and Construction (5%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).
Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most cabinetmakers and bench carpenters are Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (75% of the jobs counted, median pay $46,470), Building Finishing Contractors (7% of the jobs counted, median pay $47,590), Other Wood Product Manufacturing (7% of the jobs counted, median pay $44,630), Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing (2% of the jobs counted, median pay $39,880) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Building Finishing Contractors ($47,590), Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing ($46,470), Other Wood Product Manufacturing ($44,630). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.
Injury and illness rates. For cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, employers reported 191.0 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 15 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.
Union membership. In the broad group "Production", which includes this career, 11.9% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,161 for union members and $945 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to cabinetmakers and bench carpenters.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Production", which includes this career, 75% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 80% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 77% had paid sick leave, 90% paid vacation and 92% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $37.63 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Production" in June 2026 ($25.21 in wages and salaries and $12.42 in benefits, 33.0% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters are: spend time standing (100%), wear common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets (99%), spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls (96%), importance of being exact or accurate (91%), determine tasks, priorities and goals (61%), time pressure (60%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for related work experience, the most common answer (26% of 19 respondents) was "over 1 month, up to and including 3 months"; for on-the-job training, the most common answer (30% of 19 respondents) was "over 1 month, up to and including 3 months". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in the work done and the skills used: Model Makers, Wood, Furniture Finishers, Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing, Carpenters, Patternmakers, Wood, Upholsterers, Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic, Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Pay by state. See what cabinetmakers and bench carpenters earn in each state, with the pay range and number of jobs: Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters salary by state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
Compare cabinetmakers and bench carpenters with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →
Cabinetmaking and Millwork
CIP 48.0703