Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters (SOC 51-7011) earn a median $46,680 a year ($22.44 an hour) in the United States, with 77,170 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Delaware.
What cabinetmakers and bench carpenters do
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters cut, shape, and assemble wooden articles. Products include cabinets, store fixtures, office equipment, and high-grade furniture. From blueprints or specifications, the worker plans the sequence of operations, measures and marks dimensions on stock, and cuts parts so that the joints fit tightly. Power saws, jointers, mortisers, tenoners, molders, and shapers do much of the cutting and shaping, and the worker sets up and runs them. Pieces are joined using glue, dowels, nails, screws, and clamps, and the assembled unit is checked for fit and quality. Antique repair and specialty items such as oars appear among the titles listed. Hardware such as hinges, handles, catches, and drawer pulls is installed with hand tools. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders are excluded and counted in a separate occupation.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Accordion Maker, Antique Furniture Repairer, Antique Repairer, Boat Oar Maker, Bow Maker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.14 | $18.67 | $22.44 | $26.81 | $30.64 | $23.22 | 77,170 |
| Annual | $35,650 | $38,830 | $46,680 | $55,760 | $63,720 | $48,290 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where cabinetmakers and bench carpenters earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $15.00 | $21.32 | $28.89 | $29.64 | $33.71 | $26.88 | 60 | 0.12 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $44,350 | $60,090 | $61,650 | $70,110 | $55,900 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.37 | $23.22 | $28.21 | $34.18 | $38.29 | $28.86 | 2,470 | 0.26 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $44,440 | $48,300 | $58,680 | $71,100 | $79,640 | $60,040 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $19.86 | $22.55 | $27.93 | $32.28 | $36.87 | $27.81 | 740 | 0.44 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $41,310 | $46,910 | $58,100 | $67,140 | $76,690 | $57,850 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $20.25 | $22.52 | $27.90 | $31.15 | $38.40 | $28.06 | 1,440 | 0.40 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $42,120 | $46,830 | $58,040 | $64,780 | $79,860 | $58,350 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $18.97 | $23.01 | $27.88 | $30.36 | $34.88 | $26.87 | 190 | 0.28 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $39,470 | $47,850 | $57,980 | $63,140 | $72,540 | $55,900 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $18.62 | $22.07 | $23.57 | $28.57 | $32.59 | $25.50 | 7,360 | 0.40 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $38,740 | $45,900 | $49,030 | $59,420 | $67,780 | $53,030 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $14.28 | $18.00 | $21.90 | $22.74 | $27.88 | $20.98 | 5,980 | 1.87 | 3.77 |
| Annual | $29,700 | $37,440 | $45,550 | $47,300 | $57,980 | $43,630 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.80 | $16.72 | $18.43 | $22.00 | $25.58 | $19.24 | 5,530 | 0.39 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $28,700 | $34,790 | $38,340 | $45,750 | $53,210 | $40,020 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $14.87 | $17.59 | $20.33 | $22.98 | $28.18 | $21.07 | 3,740 | 0.77 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $30,930 | $36,590 | $42,280 | $47,800 | $58,610 | $43,820 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.62 | $18.62 | $22.29 | $24.05 | $29.78 | $22.85 | 3,490 | 0.35 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $36,650 | $38,720 | $46,360 | $50,020 | $61,940 | $47,530 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Jonesboro, AR | Hourly | $17.67 | $23.95 | $32.14 | $32.14 | $45.09 | $30.80 | 40 | 0.73 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $36,750 | $49,810 | $66,860 | $66,860 | $93,780 | $64,070 | ||||
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | Hourly | $20.04 | $23.72 | $31.75 | $32.05 | $32.05 | $28.92 | 50 | 0.42 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $41,680 | $49,340 | $66,040 | $66,670 | $66,670 | $60,160 | ||||
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | Hourly | $22.22 | $23.19 | $30.83 | $36.32 | $37.88 | $29.62 | 70 | 0.55 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $46,220 | $48,230 | $64,130 | $75,550 | $78,800 | $61,610 | ||||
| Barnstable Town, MA | Hourly | $21.92 | $23.28 | $30.42 | $38.13 | $43.97 | $31.62 | 50 | 0.49 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $45,590 | $48,410 | $63,270 | $79,320 | $91,450 | $65,770 | ||||
| Rockford, IL | Hourly | $17.41 | $22.58 | $29.28 | $30.66 | $30.66 | $26.36 | 70 | 0.54 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $36,220 | $46,970 | $60,900 | $63,770 | $63,770 | $54,840 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.28 | $21.70 | $23.06 | $28.20 | $30.91 | $24.59 | 2,630 | 0.42 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $38,020 | $45,140 | $47,960 | $58,650 | $64,280 | $51,150 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $13.94 | $17.23 | $18.63 | $21.41 | $24.33 | $19.26 | 2,370 | 0.58 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $28,980 | $35,830 | $38,760 | $44,540 | $50,600 | $40,060 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.15 | $24.22 | $28.96 | $35.68 | $38.58 | $30.24 | 2,020 | 0.21 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $46,080 | $50,370 | $60,240 | $74,210 | $80,250 | $62,890 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $16.97 | $17.87 | $21.69 | $23.09 | $28.13 | $21.73 | 1,950 | 0.68 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $35,290 | $37,170 | $45,120 | $48,020 | $58,510 | $45,200 | ||||
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | Hourly | $12.73 | $18.01 | $22.23 | $22.72 | $30.23 | $21.24 | 1,830 | 14.36 | 28.93 |
| Annual | $26,480 | $37,450 | $46,240 | $47,250 | $62,870 | $44,190 | ||||
Top industries employing cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) employ 72.8% of cabinetmakers and bench carpenters nationally (56,210 jobs) at a median $46,470 a year ($22.34 an hour), followed by Building Finishing Contractors (6.8%) and Other Wood Product Manufacturing (6.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 56,210 | 72.8% | $46,470 | $22.34 |
| Building Finishing Contractors NAICS 238300 | 5,210 | 6.8% | $47,590 | $22.88 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321900 | 5,070 | 6.6% | $44,630 | $21.46 |
| Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing NAICS 336200 | 1,340 | 1.7% | $39,880 | $19.18 |
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 1,330 | 1.7% | $58,960 | $28.35 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (77,170). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,540 for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in May 2021 and $46,680 in May 2025, with employment of 93,070 and 77,170.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,540 | $18.05 | 93,070 |
| May 2022 | $38,810 | $18.66 | 95,980 |
| May 2023 | $43,260 | $20.80 | 88,460 |
| May 2024 | $46,020 | $22.12 | 79,540 |
| May 2025 | $46,680 | $22.44 | 77,170 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware profile | $28.89 | $60,090 | $31,200 | $70,110 | 60 | 0.12 | 0.25 |
| 2 | New York profile | $28.21 | $58,680 | $44,440 | $79,640 | 2,470 | 0.26 | 0.51 |
| 3 | Connecticut profile | $27.93 | $58,100 | $41,310 | $76,690 | 740 | 0.44 | 0.88 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $27.90 | $58,040 | $42,120 | $79,860 | 1,440 | 0.40 | 0.80 |
| 5 | New Hampshire profile | $27.88 | $57,980 | $39,470 | $72,540 | 190 | 0.28 | 0.57 |
| 6 | Vermont profile | $27.70 | $57,620 | $44,720 | $78,800 | 360 | 1.17 | 2.36 |
| 7 | Rhode Island profile | $25.38 | $52,800 | $40,740 | $74,730 | 80 | 0.17 | 0.34 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $24.88 | $51,760 | $38,090 | $76,670 | 790 | 0.18 | 0.37 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $24.12 | $50,160 | $36,360 | $71,330 | 2,350 | 0.39 | 0.78 |
| 10 | Arkansas profile | $24.07 | $50,070 | $35,170 | $104,530 | 920 | 0.70 | 1.42 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | $23.85 | $49,610 | $38,500 | $64,890 | 1,300 | 0.45 | 0.91 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $23.65 | $49,180 | $33,430 | $68,020 | 610 | 0.22 | 0.45 |
| 13 | Hawaii profile | $23.58 | $49,050 | $36,070 | $70,160 | 160 | 0.25 | 0.51 |
| 14 | California profile | $23.57 | $49,030 | $38,740 | $67,780 | 7,360 | 0.40 | 0.81 |
| 15 | Minnesota profile | $23.43 | $48,740 | $38,960 | $63,310 | 2,340 | 0.79 | 1.60 |
| 16 | Washington profile | $23.42 | $48,710 | $39,590 | $66,570 | 1,350 | 0.38 | 0.77 |
| 17 | Nebraska profile | $23.37 | $48,600 | $37,210 | $64,780 | 230 | 0.22 | 0.45 |
| 18 | Michigan profile | $23.34 | $48,550 | $39,810 | $64,420 | 1,120 | 0.26 | 0.51 |
| 19 | Maine profile | $23.15 | $48,150 | $36,540 | $61,290 | 940 | 1.47 | 2.96 |
| 20 | Montana profile | $23.04 | $47,920 | $37,800 | $62,240 | 510 | 1.00 | 2.01 |
| 21 | Nevada profile | $22.97 | $47,780 | $36,400 | $74,460 | 450 | 0.29 | 0.58 |
| 22 | South Carolina profile | $22.92 | $47,680 | $34,320 | $61,350 | 710 | 0.31 | 0.62 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.89 | $47,610 | $37,540 | $63,610 | 3,300 | 0.55 | 1.10 |
| 24 | Ohio profile | $22.81 | $47,430 | $35,560 | $58,960 | 3,110 | 0.56 | 1.13 |
| 25 | New Mexico profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $40,200 | $59,470 | 170 | 0.20 | 0.40 |
| 26 | North Dakota profile | $22.66 | $47,140 | $38,380 | $61,960 | 220 | 0.51 | 1.02 |
| 27 | Iowa profile | $22.65 | $47,110 | $38,410 | $60,370 | 1,010 | 0.65 | 1.31 |
| 28 | Oregon profile | $22.55 | $46,910 | $36,610 | $58,660 | 2,190 | 1.12 | 2.25 |
| 29 | Wisconsin profile | $22.50 | $46,790 | $38,390 | $61,040 | 2,070 | 0.70 | 1.42 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $22.33 | $46,440 | $35,780 | $62,400 | 1,570 | 0.48 | 0.97 |
| 31 | Utah profile | $22.31 | $46,390 | $35,000 | $61,120 | 2,120 | 1.22 | 2.46 |
| 32 | Wyoming profile | $22.30 | $46,380 | $35,230 | $58,240 | 90 | 0.33 | 0.67 |
| 33 | Florida profile | $22.29 | $46,360 | $36,650 | $61,940 | 3,490 | 0.35 | 0.71 |
| 34 | North Carolina profile | $22.12 | $46,010 | $34,850 | $58,410 | 2,900 | 0.59 | 1.18 |
| 35 | Missouri profile | $22.10 | $45,980 | $35,310 | $58,580 | 1,690 | 0.57 | 1.16 |
| 36 | South Dakota profile | $22.09 | $45,950 | $36,670 | $57,640 | 440 | 0.96 | 1.94 |
| 37 | Virginia profile | $22.07 | $45,910 | $33,280 | $63,800 | 2,170 | 0.53 | 1.06 |
| 38 | Arizona profile | $21.92 | $45,580 | $37,760 | $59,400 | 1,600 | 0.49 | 0.99 |
| 39 | Indiana profile | $21.90 | $45,550 | $29,700 | $57,980 | 5,980 | 1.87 | 3.77 |
| 40 | Idaho profile | $21.57 | $44,870 | $36,470 | $61,510 | 970 | 1.14 | 2.29 |
| 41 | West Virginia profile | $20.38 | $42,400 | $33,000 | $48,440 | 130 | 0.19 | 0.38 |
| 42 | Georgia profile | $20.33 | $42,280 | $30,930 | $58,610 | 3,740 | 0.77 | 1.54 |
| 43 | Kansas profile | $19.88 | $41,350 | $36,970 | $53,040 | 1,340 | 0.93 | 1.88 |
| 44 | Kentucky profile | $19.44 | $40,440 | $34,600 | $59,530 | 920 | 0.46 | 0.92 |
| 45 | Louisiana profile | $18.88 | $39,280 | $29,910 | $52,130 | 470 | 0.25 | 0.49 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | $18.66 | $38,800 | $23,750 | $61,790 | 580 | 0.50 | 1.01 |
| 47 | Alabama profile | $18.53 | $38,550 | $29,680 | $48,560 | 1,760 | 0.83 | 1.68 |
| 48 | Texas profile | $18.43 | $38,340 | $28,700 | $53,210 | 5,530 | 0.39 | 0.79 |
| 49 | Oklahoma profile | $17.61 | $36,630 | $28,580 | $59,960 | 1,020 | 0.60 | 1.20 |
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-7011 Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-7011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-7011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.