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 you'd actually do

• 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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the day is spent working solo; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 9% of cabinetmakers and bench carpenters are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a cabinetmakers and bench carpenter make?

The median pay is $22.44 per hour — roughly $46,500 a year, with the real range running from about $17.14/hr (10th percentile) to $30.64/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a cabinetmakers and bench carpenter?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a cabinetmakers and bench carpenter actually do all day?

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.