Skip to main contentReport an accessibility problem
ASU for LifeASU for Life

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 51-7011.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$46,125

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+1.5%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

73.4% of the workforce

Employment
84.79K jobs

Growing to 86.06K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

Loading available locations…

Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

Loading related ASU learning

The work

What cabinetmakers and bench carpenters do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Verify dimensions or check the quality or fit of pieces to ensure adherence to specifications.
  • 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.
  • Attach parts or subassemblies together to form completed units, using glue, dowels, nails, screws, or clamps.
  • 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.
  • Reinforce joints with nails or other fasteners to prepare articles for finishing.
  • Trim, sand, or scrape surfaces or joints to prepare articles for finishing.
  • Install hardware, such as hinges, handles, catches, or drawer pulls, using hand tools.
  • 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.
  • Match materials for color, grain, or texture, giving attention to knots or other features of the wood.
  • Perform final touch-ups with sandpaper or steel wool.
  • Bore holes for insertion of screws or dowels, by hand or using boring machines.
  • Repair or alter wooden furniture, cabinetry, fixtures, paneling, or other pieces.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$33,120
25th percentile
$37,642
50th percentile
$46,125
75th percentile
$57,525
90th percentile
$69,682

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $46,125 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+1.5%average or slower
202584,793 jobs
2035 projected86,059 jobs

1,266 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
73.4%
Certificate
26.6%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Cabinetry
  • Carpentry
  • Power Tool Operation
  • Woodworking
  • Hand Tools
  • Lifting Ability
  • Construction
  • Millwork
  • Sawing
  • Shop Drawing
  • Blueprinting
  • Renovation
  • Project Management
  • Tape Measure
  • Machinery
  • Drilling
  • Technical Drawing
  • Good Driving Record
  • Network Routing
  • Painting

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Operations Analysis
Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Equipment Selection
Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Repairing
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Cabinet Installers1,550 postings
  2. 02Cabinet Makers1,353 postings
  3. 03Cabinet Builders744 postings
  4. 04Woodworkers514 postings
  5. 05Installers405 postings
  6. 06Cabinet Designers356 postings
  7. 07Carpenters/Cabinetmakers286 postings
  8. 08Cabinet Makers/Installers261 postings
  9. 09Custom Cabinet Makers234 postings
  10. 10Cabinet Finishers218 postings
  11. 11Cabinet Specialists165 postings
  12. 12Sign Installers136 postings
  13. 13Lead Installers118 postings
  14. 14Gutter Installers117 postings
  15. 15Kitchen Cabinet Specialists102 postings
  16. 16Millwork Managers96 postings
  17. 17Smart Home Installers91 postings
  18. 18Graphics Installers90 postings
  19. 19Kitchen Cabinet Designers83 postings
  20. 20Craftsmen82 postings

Top employers

  1. 01GPAC288 postings
  2. 02Aerotek149 postings
  3. 03Sage Surfaces113 postings
  4. 04Gulfstream Aerospace80 postings
  5. 05California Closets69 postings
  6. 06Bath Concepts Independent Dealers61 postings
  7. 07Leaffilter North59 postings
  8. 08Forest River52 postings
  9. 09Express Employment Professionals40 postings
  10. 10Hsgi35 postings
  11. 11Renuity34 postings
  12. 12Sims-Lohman31 postings
  13. 13Carter Lumber30 postings
  14. 14Bath Fitter29 postings
  15. 15Bell Canada28 postings
  16. 16PDS Tech28 postings
  17. 17Gal Aerostaff LTD.22 postings
  18. 18ManpowerGroup22 postings
  19. 19Aviation Personnel20 postings
  20. 20Bath Planet20 postings

Keep looking

Related careers

Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers

Median pay
$109,907
Employment outlook
+7.1%

Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Median pay
$39,594
Employment outlook
+6.2%

Home Appliance Repairers

Median pay
$49,127
Employment outlook
+3.4%

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

Median pay
$49,443
Employment outlook
+7.3%