Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
Machines can already do 22% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 61%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 22% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2033, and 61% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 77,170 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $46,680 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 56% for contact with people.
- Also called: Angled Cabinetmaker, Assembler, Cabinet Assembler, Cabinet Builder.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set up or operate machines, including power saws, jointers, mortisers, tenoners, molders, or shapers, to cut, mold, or shape woodstock or wood substitutes | 16% | 20% to 60% | |
| Produce or assemble components of articles, such as store fixtures, office equipment, cabinets, or high-grade furniture | 13% | 20% to 60% | |
| Attach parts or subassemblies together to form completed units, using glue, dowels, nails, screws, or clamps | 9% | 20% to 60% | |
| Trim, sand, or scrape surfaces or joints to prepare articles for finishing | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Measure and mark dimensions of parts on paper or lumber stock prior to cutting, following blueprints, to ensure a tight fit and quality product | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Verify dimensions or check the quality or fit of pieces to ensure adherence to specifications | 6% | 20% to 60% | |
| 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 | 5% | 20% to 60% | |
| 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 | 5% | 55% to 85% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills cabinetmakers and bench carpenters use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Furniture Finishers50% of tasks by 2035 · US median $44,540
- Bakers58% of tasks by 2035 · US median $37,160
- Histotechnologists54% of tasks by 2035
- Cooks, Restaurant59% of tasks by 2035 · US median $37,390
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2033. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of cabinetmakers and bench carpenters?
Machines can do 22% of the tasks of cabinetmakers and bench carpenters today and 61% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 51-7011.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/cabinetmakers-and-bench-carpenters/