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Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters in North Carolina

Thinking about a career as a Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters in North Carolina? Below are the key facts. 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. Excludes “Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders” (51-7040).

What do Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters Make in North Carolina?

For a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters working in North Carolina, wages run about $42,680 per year (or roughly $20.52/hour).Pay can range from $32,300 at the 10th percentile to $54,980 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$32,300	$15.53
25th percentile	$37,050	$17.81
Median (50th)	$42,680	$20.52
75th percentile	$48,290	$23.22
90th percentile	$54,980	$26.43

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in North Carolina nationwide is 0.96.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, cabinetmakers and bench carpenters earn a median of $67,016 per year ($32.22/hour), lower than the North Carolina median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 488,849 cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in the U.S.. In North Carolina alone, around 2,420 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 1,240 cabinetmakers and bench carpenters.

Top North Carolina Metros for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

These are the North Carolina metros with the most cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in North Carolina.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	680	$45,590
Raleigh-Cary, NC	220	$45,480
Greensboro-High Point, NC	210	$43,310
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	170	$46,400
Winston-Salem, NC	170	$40,960
Asheville, NC	80	$47,310
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	60	$46,660
Wilmington, NC	60	$46,550

Top States for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters Employment

The table below shows the states where the most cabinetmakers and bench carpenters work.

State	Number Employed
California	8,560
Texas	5,660
Indiana	5,050
Pennsylvania	3,880
Georgia	3,780
Florida	3,620
New York	3,290
Ohio	3,160
Minnesota	2,770
North Carolina	2,420
Missouri	2,300
Utah	2,040
Illinois	2,020
Alabama	1,930
Wisconsin	1,900
Virginia	1,770
Oregon	1,760
Kansas	1,740
Massachusetts	1,480
Arizona	1,440

Highest-Paying States for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

These states pay the most for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters.

State	Annual Median Salary
New York	$57,550
Maryland	$57,200
Delaware	$53,830
Massachusetts	$53,620
Connecticut	$53,010
Vermont	$52,150
New Jersey	$51,430
Rhode Island	$51,140
Illinois	$51,110
New Hampshire	$49,430

Skills

Key cabinetmakers and bench carpenters skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters typically:

• 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.
• 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.
• Perform final touch-ups with sandpaper or steel wool.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

• Woodworking

Related Careers

Other careers like cabinetmakers and bench carpenters include:

• Boilermakers
• Carpenters
• Sheet Metal Workers
• Helpers–Carpenters
• Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
• Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Also Known As

Accordion Maker, Antique Furniture Repairer, Antique Repairer, Boat Oar Maker, Bow Maker, Cabinet Assembler, Cabinet Builder, Cabinet Designer, Cabinet Finisher, Cabinet Installer, Cabinet Maker, Cabinet Professional, Cabinet Specialist, Cabinet Worker, Cabinetmaker.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-7011.00