Production · Holland code RC
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.
Also called: Cabinet Assembler, Cabinet Builder, Cabinetmaker, Frame Builder, Angled Cabinetmaker, Assembler, Cabinet Door Maker, Cabinet Installer.
O*NET 51-7011.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $46,680
- Middle half earn $38,830 to $55,760. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- Verify dimensions or check the quality or fit of pieces to ensure adherence to specifications.
- Design furniture, using computer-aided drawing programs.
- Produce or assemble components of articles, such as store fixtures, office equipment, cabinets, or high-grade furniture.
- Program computers to operate machinery.
- Trim, sand, or scrape surfaces or joints to prepare articles for finishing.
- Measure and mark dimensions of parts on paper or lumber stock prior to cutting, following blueprints, to ensure a tight fit and quality product.
- 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.
- Match materials for color, grain, or texture, giving attention to knots or other features of the wood.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Monitoring3.0 / 5
- Reading Comprehension2.9 / 5
- Speaking2.9 / 5
- Active Listening2.8 / 5
- Mathematics2.8 / 5
- Critical Thinking2.8 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Building and Construction3.2 / 5
- Mathematics3.1 / 5
- Production and Processing3.0 / 5
- Design2.9 / 5
- Mechanical2.9 / 5
- Administration and Management2.6 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic100
- Investigative17
- Artistic25
- Social2
- Enterprising4
- Conventional40
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- carpenter · DE Zimmerer/Zimmerin · FR charpentier/charpentière
- manufactured wooden building assembler · DE Monteur für Holzfertighäuser/Monteurin für Holzfertighäuser · FR assembleur d’ouvrages en bois/assembleuse d’ouvrages en bois
- wicker furniture maker · DE Korbmöbelmacher/Korbmöbelmacherin · FR vannier spécialiste du mobilier/vannière spécialiste du mobilier
- woodcarver · DE Holzbildhauer/Holzbildhauerin · FR sculpteur sur bois/sculptrice sur bois
- antique furniture reproducer · DE Kunsttischler/Kunsttischlerin · FR fabricant de copies de meubles anciens/fabricante de copies de meubles anciens
- cabinet maker · DE Tischler/Tischlerin · FR ébéniste
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Carpenters and joiners (5316)175,400 employed
- Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c. (8149)26,300 employed
- Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers (5442)36,100 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €40,086 |
| Germany | €38,638 |
| Austria | €38,194 |
| Sweden | €37,856 |
| Netherlands | €37,077 |
| Ireland | €36,098 |
| France | €27,145 |
| Italy | €26,488 |
| Spain | €22,817 |
| Portugal | €11,142 |
| Poland | €10,099 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.33. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-7011).
Related careers
Is it a fit for you?
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