Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters Salary
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters in Madison, WI make a median of $58,620 a year, or about $28.18 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $60,253 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,168/month, about 30.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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 Madison
Madison sits well above the national pay line for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. Rent runs $1,168/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) 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 Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $49K | $50K |
| Green Bay | $46K | $49K |
| Wausau | $45K | $49K |
| Appleton | $48K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level cabinetmakers and bench carpenters (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $32K 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 Madison numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cabinetmakers and bench carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 29.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cabinetmakers and bench carpenters typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,434/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Madison?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $59K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Madison compare to the national average for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters?
Madison pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cabinetmakers and bench carpenters make in Madison, WI?
The median is $58,620 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,560, and experienced cabinetmakers and bench carpenters can clear $72,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,923/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 29.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters salary go in Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median cabinetmakers and bench carpenters salary is worth about $60,253 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.
