Cabinetmaking and Millwork

Types of Degrees Cabinetmaking and Millwork Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many cabinetmaking & millwork graduations there were in 2021-2022 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	181
Undergraduate Certificate	84
Associate Degree	75

What Cabinetmaking and Millwork Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to cabinetmaking and millwork and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Cabinetmaking and Millwork Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in cabinetmaking and millwork should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Skills for Cabinetmaking and Millwork Majors

cabinetmaking and millwork majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Cabinetmaking and Millwork Majors

As you progress with your cabinetmaking and millwork degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

What Can You Do With a Cabinetmaking and Millwork Major?

People with a cabinetmaking and millwork degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters	2.3%	$34,740
Woodworkers	3.3%	$31,170
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing	0.5%	$29,730

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Cabinetmaking and Millwork?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 84% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of cabinetmaking and millwork majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	2
Black or African American	5
Hispanic or Latino	17
White	48
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	3

How Much Do Cabinetmaking and Millwork Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Cabinetmaking and Millwork majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $31,200 to $52,590 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Cabinetmaking and Millwork

Some degrees associated with cabinetmaking and millwork may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for cabinetmaking and millwork careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	16.2%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	54.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	23.2%
Some College Courses	4.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.1%
Bachelor’s Degree	0.5%

Online Cabinetmaking and Millwork Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	36	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	3	0
Associate’s Degree	18	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Cabinetmaking and Millwork Worth It?

The median salary for a cabinetmaking and millwork grad is $34,530 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

Trades Related to Cabinetmaking and Millwork

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to cabinetmaking and millwork.

Major	Number of Grads
Furniture Design & Manufacturing	42
General Woodworking	38
Other Woodworking	15
Wooden Boatbuilding Technology	0

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.