Occupations · Production
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 51-7011.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 87% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,070 | 3,160 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $59,340 | 2,820 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $39,340 | 2,360 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $45,070 | 2,050 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $47,430 | 1,740 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $54,160 | 1,510 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $42,330 | 1,410 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,590 | 1,250 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $47,620 | 1,160 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $43,930 | 1,110 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $47,180 | 1,030 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $46,930 | 1,000 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- 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.
- Estimate the amounts, types, or costs of needed materials.
- Reinforce joints with nails or other fasteners to prepare articles for finishing.
- 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.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2015-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2015-07
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
No longer listed 2
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| cabinet maker | 7522.2 | exact |
| carpenter | 7115.1 | close |
| wooden furniture machine operator | 7523.3 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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