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Woodworking

Types of Degrees Woodworking Majors Are Earning

Those studying Woodworking have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	171
Associate’s Degree	117
Bachelor’s Degree	32
Master’s Degree	311

What Woodworking Majors Need to Know

Studies in Woodworking build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Woodworking graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Woodworking emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Woodworking program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Operation and Control — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Woodworking careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Control Precision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Woodworking graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.0 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.9 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.7 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.5 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.5 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	3.4 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Woodworking professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Dassault Systemes CATIA	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Computerized numerical control CNC software	Industrial control software	—
Siemens NX	Computer aided design CAD software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Woodworking graduates include:

• Stock Checker
• Wood Carver
• Tip Inserter
• Patternmaker
• Wood Ski Maker
• Smoking Pipe Maker
• Accordion Maker
• Boat Oar Maker
• Hand Carver
• Hat Block Maker
• Showcase Maker
• Furniture Reproducer
• Airplane Woodworker
• Piano Case Maker
• Timber Framer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Woodworking graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	52.6%
Postsecondary certificate	19.4%
Less than a high school diploma	18.9%
Some college courses	5.0%
Bachelor’s degree	4.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Woodworking?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 79.5% of Woodworking degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	135	20.5%
Men	524	79.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Woodworking graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	429	65.1%
Asian	28	4.2%
Hispanic or Latino	87	13.2%
Black or African American	54	8.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	8	1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	16	2.4%
Race Unknown	20	3.0%
International Students	16	2.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Woodworking Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Woodworking graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$28,034
4 years	$43,408
5 years	$46,526

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $46,526 — roughly 66% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Woodworking Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Woodworking graduates earn a median of $43,408 four years after completion — roughly 14% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Production Product Development	48
Boilermaking/Boilermaker	48.08
Leatherworking and Upholstery	48.03
Precision Metal Working	48.05
Precision Production, Other	48.99
PRECISION PRODUCTION	48.00

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.