by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 37 U.S. colleges awarded 483 degrees and certificates in Cabinetmaking & Millwork. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 55% of graduates. College Factual ranks 14 schools in its 2027 Best Cabinetmaking & Millwork Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $28,034 one year after completing, rising to $42,474 after four years.
Studying Cabinetmaking & Millwork explores Cabinetmaking And Millwork. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Set Up, Operate And Repair Industrial Woodworking Machinery, And To Use Such Machinery To Design And Fabricate Wooden Components And Complete Articles. Examples: [Cabinetmaker], [Joiner].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, cabinetmaking & millwork is a popular field of study, with 483 degrees awarded annually. 37 colleges award cabinetmaking & millwork degrees, an average of 13 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 93.
By level, the 483 awards include 137 certificates, 79 associate degrees and 267 master’s degrees.
Women earned 16% of cabinetmaking & millwork degrees and certificates in the latest year (76 of 483). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (253) and Hispanic or Latino (108), and international students earned 3.
College Factual ranks 14 schools in its 2027 Best Cabinetmaking & Millwork Schools ranking, including 2 for associate degrees. It also ranks cabinetmaking & millwork schools within 1 state. In all, 37 colleges offer cabinetmaking & millwork programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Cabinetmaking & Millwork Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common cabinetmaking & millwork credential is the master’s degree: 267 of the 483 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to cabinetmaking & millwork call most for Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control and Monitoring, and for knowledge of Mathematics, Production and Processing and Mechanical, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Near Vision, Manual Dexterity and Control Precision.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a cabinetmaking & millwork degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 137 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 79 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 267 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to cabinetmaking & millwork, at 53.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 53.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 22.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 13.5% |
| Some college courses | 6.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 3.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to Cabinetmaking & Millwork, with an average median salary of $59,122; the strongest outlook belongs to Patternmakers, Wood, at 14.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Stock Checker, Patternmaker, Hand Carver and Smoking Pipe Maker.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to cabinetmaking & millwork, at 968,557.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Patternmakers, Wood | 968,557 | 14.0% |
| Woodworkers, All Other | 945,993 | 10.0% |
| Model Makers, Wood | 478,406 | 0.5% |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | 468,547 | -4.2% |
| Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | 456,048 | 2.3% |
| Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | 106,998 | 8.4% |
Cabinetmaking & Millwork graduates earn a median $28,034 one year after completing their program, $42,474 after four years and $46,526 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $28,034 |
| 4 years | $42,474 |
| 5 years | $46,526 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to cabinetmaking & millwork, with a median salary of $69,107.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Patternmakers, Wood | $69,107 |
| Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $67,957 |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $67,016 |
| Woodworkers, All Other | $57,136 |
| Model Makers, Wood | $55,448 |
| Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $38,070 |
Cabinetmaking & Millwork has 4 similar majors in the Precision Production field, which together award 127 degrees a year; the largest are Furniture Design and Manufacturing (56), Woodworking, General (37) and Wooden Boatbuilding Technology/Technician (28). Browse all Precision Production majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Furniture Design and Manufacturing | 56 |
| Woodworking, General | 37 |
| Wooden Boatbuilding Technology/Technician | 28 |
| Woodworking, Other | 6 |
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