Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
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.
Also called: Cabinet Assembler · Cabinet Builder · Cabinet Installer · Cabinetmaker · Double End Tenon Operator · Frame Builder
Median pay (national)
$46,020
$34,700–$63,220 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
79,540
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-1.6%
~8,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $63,220 versus $34,700 at the bottom 10% — 1.8x. The median of $46,020 leaves roughly 37% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -1.6% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 8,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 50 states with released data, New York pays the most for this role (median $57,550, +25% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $21,230 — a 171% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Monitoring, Speaking, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Produce or assemble components of articles, such as store fixtures, office equipment, cabinets, or high-grade furniture.
- Measure and mark dimensions of parts on paper or lumber stock prior to cutting, following blueprints, to ensure a tight fit and quality product.
- Set up or operate machines, including power saws, jointers, mortisers, tenoners, molders, or shapers, to cut, mold, or shape woodstock or wood substitutes.
- Establish the specifications of articles to be constructed or repaired, or plan the methods or operations for shaping or assembling parts, based on blueprints, drawings, diagrams, or oral or written instructions.
- Attach parts or subassemblies together to form completed units, using glue, dowels, nails, screws, or clamps.
- Install hardware, such as hinges, handles, catches, or drawer pulls, using hand tools.
- Trim, sand, or scrape surfaces or joints to prepare articles for finishing.
- Match materials for color, grain, or texture, giving attention to knots or other features of the wood.
- Cut timber to the right size, and shape and trim parts of joints to ensure a snug fit, using hand tools, such as planes, chisels, or wood files.
- Bore holes for insertion of screws or dowels, by hand or using boring machines.
Tools & technology
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft Windows
- Computer estimation software
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
Knowledge areas
- Mathematics
- Building and Construction
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Education and Training
- English Language