Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters vs Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic: $47K vs $64K Median Pay

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters vs Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic: what changes?

Consider Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters if you want to 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…. Consider Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic if you would rather lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, tubes, structural shapes, castings, or machine parts, for further processing. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters and Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

National median pay (2025): $46,680
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Verify dimensions or check the quality or fit of pieces to ensure adherence to specifications.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 6,900

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 2.9% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters brief

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

National median pay (2025): $63,870
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Mark curves, lines, holes, dimensions, and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 500

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 3.4% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic brief

How the national numbers differ

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters has the edge on annual openings

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters is at 6,900 annual openings, compared with 500 annual openings for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic.

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic has the edge on median pay

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic is at $63,870, compared with $46,680 for Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters.

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters has the edge on projected growth

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters is at -2.9% projected growth, compared with -3.4% projected growth for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic.

40.9/ 100

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

35.2/ 100

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters vs Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Dimension	Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters	Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
Median pay (2025)	$46,680	$63,870
Pay percentile	22.3 percentile	55.2 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	-2.9%	-3.4%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	6,900	500
2025 employment	81,800	6,200
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters brief Read Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic brief

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters vs Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

How the national numbers differ

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters has the edge on annual openings

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic has the edge on median pay

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters has the edge on projected growth

Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters vs Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

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