Career profile · 51-7011
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.
What the work can involve
- 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.
- Trim, sand, or scrape surfaces or joints to prepare articles for finishing.
- Measure and mark dimensions of parts on paper or lumber stock prior to cutting, following blueprints, to ensure a tight fit and quality product.
- 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.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves some prior preparation and on-the-job learning. Check the specific employer, occupational credential and state requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Mechanical
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Getting Information
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 90.5%08/2026 · sample 17 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Once a year or more but not every month | 34.9%08/2026 · sample 17 |
| Spend Time Standing | Continually or almost continually | 99.0%08/2026 · sample 17 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 95.2%08/2026 · sample 17 |
| Time Pressure | Once a week or more but not every day | 43.9%08/2026 · sample 17 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 65.3%08/2026 · sample 17 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 96.4%08/2026 · sample 16 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Facilities management software: Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
- Project management software: Computer estimation software
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 49 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,550 | $18.53 | 1,760 |
| Arizona | $45,580 | $21.92 | 1,600 |
| Arkansas | $50,070 | $24.07 | 920 |
| California | $49,030 | $23.57 | 7,360 |
| Colorado | $49,610 | $23.85 | 1,300 |
| Connecticut | $58,100 | $27.93 | 740 |
| Delaware | $60,090 | $28.89 | 60 |
| Florida | $46,360 | $22.29 | 3,490 |
| Georgia | $42,280 | $20.33 | 3,740 |
| Hawaii | $49,050 | $23.58 | 160 |
| Idaho | $44,870 | $21.57 | 970 |
| Illinois | $50,160 | $24.12 | 2,350 |
| Indiana | $45,550 | $21.90 | 5,980 |
| Iowa | $47,110 | $22.65 | 1,010 |
| Kansas | $41,350 | $19.88 | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $40,440 | $19.44 | 920 |
| Louisiana | $39,280 | $18.88 | 470 |
| Maine | $48,150 | $23.15 | 940 |
| Maryland | $49,180 | $23.65 | 610 |
| Massachusetts | $58,040 | $27.90 | 1,440 |
| Michigan | $48,550 | $23.34 | 1,120 |
| Minnesota | $48,740 | $23.43 | 2,340 |
| Mississippi | $38,800 | $18.66 | 580 |
| Missouri | $45,980 | $22.10 | 1,690 |
| Montana | $47,920 | $23.04 | 510 |
| Nebraska | $48,600 | $23.37 | 230 |
| Nevada | $47,780 | $22.97 | 450 |
| New Hampshire | $57,980 | $27.88 | 190 |
| New Jersey | $51,760 | $24.88 | 790 |
| New Mexico | $47,210 | $22.70 | 170 |
| New York | $58,680 | $28.21 | 2,470 |
| North Carolina | $46,010 | $22.12 | 2,900 |
| North Dakota | $47,140 | $22.66 | 220 |
| Ohio | $47,430 | $22.81 | 3,110 |
| Oklahoma | $36,630 | $17.61 | 1,020 |
| Oregon | $46,910 | $22.55 | 2,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,610 | $22.89 | 3,300 |
| Rhode Island | $52,800 | $25.38 | 80 |
| South Carolina | $47,680 | $22.92 | 710 |
| South Dakota | $45,950 | $22.09 | 440 |
| Tennessee | $46,440 | $22.33 | 1,570 |
| Texas | $38,340 | $18.43 | 5,530 |
| Utah | $46,390 | $22.31 | 2,120 |
| Vermont | $57,620 | $27.70 | 360 |
| Virginia | $45,910 | $22.07 | 2,170 |
| Washington | $48,710 | $23.42 | 1,350 |
| West Virginia | $42,400 | $20.38 | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $46,790 | $22.50 | 2,070 |
| Wyoming | $46,380 | $22.30 | 90 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 305 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Model Makers, Wood→
- Patternmakers, Wood→
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood→
- Woodworkers, All Other→
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 51-7011.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.