Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters Salary
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters in Charleston-North Charleston, SC make a median of $48,380 a year, or about $23.26 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $47,920 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,787/month, about 54.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
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What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters pay in Charleston-North Charleston tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,787/month, which is 54.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $47K | $50K |
| Columbia | $49K | $52K |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $52K | $53K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $46K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level cabinetmakers and bench carpenters (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $60K | +29% | 60 |
| New York | $59K | +26% | 2,470 |
| Connecticut | $58K | +24% | 740 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +24% | 1,440 |
| New Hampshire | $58K | +24% | 190 |
| Vermont | $58K | +23% | 360 |
| Rhode Island | $53K | +13% | 80 |
| New Jersey | $52K | +11% | 790 |
| Illinois | $50K | +7% | 2,350 |
| Arkansas | $50K | +7% | 920 |
| Colorado | $50K | +6% | 1,300 |
| Maryland | $49K | +5% | 610 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +5% | 160 |
| California | $49K | +5% | 7,360 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +4% | 2,340 |
| Washington | $49K | +4% | 1,350 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +4% | 230 |
| Michigan | $49K | +4% | 1,120 |
| Maine | $48K | +3% | 940 |
| Montana | $48K | +3% | 510 |
| Nevada | $48K | +2% | 450 |
| South Carolina | $48K | +2% | 710 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +2% | 3,300 |
| Ohio | $47K | +2% | 3,110 |
| New Mexico | $47K | +1% | 170 |
| North Dakota | $47K | +1% | 220 |
| Iowa | $47K | +1% | 1,010 |
| Oregon | $47K | +0% | 2,190 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | +0% | 2,070 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -1% | 1,570 |
| Utah | $46K | -1% | 2,120 |
| Wyoming | $46K | -1% | 90 |
| Florida | $46K | -1% | 3,490 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -1% | 2,900 |
| Missouri | $46K | -1% | 1,690 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -2% | 440 |
| Virginia | $46K | -2% | 2,170 |
| Arizona | $46K | -2% | 1,600 |
| Indiana | $46K | -2% | 5,980 |
| Idaho | $45K | -4% | 970 |
| West Virginia | $42K | -9% | 130 |
| Georgia | $42K | -9% | 3,740 |
| Kansas | $41K | -11% | 1,340 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -13% | 920 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -16% | 470 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -17% | 580 |
| Alabama | $39K | -17% | 1,760 |
| Texas | $38K | -18% | 5,530 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -22% | 1,020 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cabinetmakers and bench carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston-North Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cabinetmakers and bench carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 54.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cabinetmakers and bench carpenters typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,126/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 84% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cabinetmakers and bench carpenter a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cabinetmakers and bench carpenters make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $48,380 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,440, and experienced cabinetmakers and bench carpenters can clear $63,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,287/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 54.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cabinetmakers and bench carpenters salary is worth about $47,920 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cabinetmakers and bench carpenters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.