Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters Salary
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD make a median of $52,430 a year, or about $25.21 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $51,126 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 51.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington sits well above the national pay line for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 51% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | $47K | $48K |
| Pittsburgh | $54K | $57K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $46K | $46K |
| Reading | $50K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level cabinetmakers and bench carpenters (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $29K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cabinetmakers and bench carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 51% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cabinetmakers and bench carpenters typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,338/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $52K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cabinetmakers and bench carpenters make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $52,430 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,970, and experienced cabinetmakers and bench carpenters can clear $67,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,546/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 51% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $51,126 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.