by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, general woodworking was the 1,371 most popular major nationwide with 42 degrees awarded. This represents a 81.0% reduction in woodworking degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 76.
Explore this or one of our many other custom woodworking rankings further below.
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly has been highlighted as one of the most essential skills for careers related to woodworking. Required skills include controlling operations of equipment or systems and conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most woodworking degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Specific woodworking careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
Woodworking degree levels vary. You can spend many years getting as high as a in general woodworking to something that takes less time like a . General Woodworking programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to woodworking, with approximately 1.7% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for woodworking workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 69.7% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 19.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 4.3% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 1.6% |
See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in general woodworking have received.
This of course varies depending on which woodworking career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your woodworking degree? General Woodworking careers are expected to grow 0.9% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general woodworking.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 77,500 | 0.5% |
| Woodworkers | 12,500 | 3.3% |
As you might expect, salaries for woodworking graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for general woodworking graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers woodworking grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Woodworkers | $34,530 |
| Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $31,110 |
With over 18 different woodworking degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased woodworking school rankings to help you with this.
One of 4 majors within the Woodworking area of study, General Woodworking has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Cabinetmaking & Millwork | 280 |
| Furniture Design & Manufacturing | 65 |
| Wooden Boatbuilding Technology | 30 |
| Other Woodworking | 14 |
