Industry reference
U.S. Woodworking Statistics: 2026 Fact Sheet
Current, source-linked figures for writers, researchers, and anyone reporting on the people and businesses behind American woodwork.
What this covers
A practical snapshot of woodwork in the United States.
This page brings together the latest available U.S. figures on wood product manufacturing and the woodworker occupation. It is designed as a stable reference for quoting the data, not as a claim that every handmade studio fits a federal industry category.
Each figure below names its source and reporting period. Federal releases update on different schedules, so dates matter as much as the numbers.
At a glance
The numbers behind the craft.
Use the links beneath each statistic to check the original release.
391,300
people worked in U.S. wood product manufacturing
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 391,300 seasonally adjusted employees in wood product manufacturing in August 2026.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment by industry, monthly changesAugust 2026
−3.0%
12-month employment change in wood product manufacturing
The same August 2026 Bureau of Labor Statistics series showed employment 12,200 jobs lower than a year earlier, a 3.0% decline.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment by industry, monthly changesAugust 2026
16,051
private wood product manufacturing establishments
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages counted 16,051 private establishments in the industry in the first quarter of 2026. This figure was preliminary when reported.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wood Product Manufacturing: NAICS 321First quarter 2026
+1.2%
labor-productivity change in wood product manufacturing
Output per hour in the industry increased 1.2% in 2025, following a 0.8% increase in 2024.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wood Product Manufacturing: NAICS 3212025
$45,310
median annual pay for U.S. woodworkers
The median annual wage for woodworkers was $45,310 in May 2025. The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines median as the point where half of workers earn more and half earn less.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: WoodworkersMay 2025
199,900
woodworkers employed in the United States
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 199,900 woodworkers were employed in 2025, including cabinetmakers, furniture finishers, saw operators, and woodworking-machine operators.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Woodworkers2025
18,100
average annual openings for woodworkers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 18,100 openings each year from 2025 through 2035, largely as workers change occupations or leave the labor force.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Woodworkers2025–2035 projection
Methodology & sources
How to read these figures.
“Wood product manufacturing” is the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ NAICS 321 industry grouping. “Woodworkers” is a separate occupation group that includes cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, furniture finishers, saw operators, and woodworking-machine operators. The two series overlap, but they are not interchangeable.
The establishment, employment, and productivity figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Wood Product Manufacturing: NAICS 321 profile and its monthly employment series. Wage, occupational employment, and projected openings figures come from the Occupational Outlook Handbook’s Woodworkers profile. Sources were checked on September 30, 2026.
Cite this page
Brothers Grimm Woodworks. “U.S. Woodworking Statistics: 2026 Fact Sheet.” Updated September 30, 2026. https://brothersgrimmwoodworks.com/woodworking-statistics
From numbers to the real thing