Millwork jobs are jobs in shops and plants that make finished wood products for buildings, such as doors, windows, trim, paneling, stairs and built-in cabinets. The work sits between furniture making and construction: pieces are built in a shop, then delivered and installed on a job site.
This guide explains what millwork is, the main jobs in a millwork shop, what they pay, the industry standards and training that help with hiring, the job outlook, and how to find and apply for millwork jobs. Figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and were checked in October 2026.
What Millwork Is
In the industry, “architectural woodwork” or “architectural millwork” means the interior wood elements of a building that are made to order. The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI), a trade association founded in Chicago in 1954, publishes the industry’s standards. Its standards cover areas such as:
- Casework, meaning built-in cabinets and storage
- Millwork and wood trim
- Wood paneling
- Countertops
- Stairs and handrails
- Finish carpentry and installation
How the BLS Counts Millwork
The BLS does not publish employment figures for millwork shops on their own. Millwork falls within wood product manufacturing, a sector that also makes lumber, plywood, wood containers, flooring, trusses, manufactured homes and prefabricated wood buildings. Wood product manufacturing employed about 394,000 people in September 2026, according to preliminary BLS figures.
Jobs in a Millwork Shop
A millwork project usually moves from drawings to machining, assembly, finishing and installation. These BLS occupations cover most of that work, with their 2025 employment and median annual wages in the wood product manufacturing sector:
| Occupation | Employment in wood product manufacturing, 2025 | Median annual wage, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Team assemblers | 75,000 | $41,540 |
| Woodworking machine setters, operators and tenders | 38,360 | $42,620 |
| Sawing machine setters, operators and tenders | 30,140 | $42,090 |
| First-line supervisors of production workers | 17,420 | $63,110 |
| Carpenters | 9,600 | $46,110 |
| Machine feeders and offbearers | 5,960 | $41,600 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters | 5,450 | $44,210 |
The median is the wage at which half the workers earned more and half earned less. These figures cover the whole sector, including plants that make products other than millwork.
What Each Role Does in Millwork
- Machine operators cut and shape parts on saws, molders, routers and CNC machines.
- Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters build casework and custom pieces, following shop drawings. Our guide to cabinetmaker jobs covers this role in detail.
- Assemblers put together doors, windows, frames and cabinet boxes.
- Finishers sand, stain and apply topcoats before pieces leave the shop. See our guide to wood finisher jobs.
- Carpenters and installers fit and install finished millwork on site. The BLS lists installing fixtures such as windows, molding and kitchen cabinets among the work carpenters do.
- Supervisors manage production teams and schedules.
Pay in Wood Product Manufacturing
Besides the occupation medians above, the BLS publishes monthly average earnings for the sector. In September 2026, production and nonsupervisory employees in wood product manufacturing earned an average of $25.25 an hour and worked an average of 42.9 hours a week, according to preliminary figures. These averages come from a different BLS survey than the occupation medians, so the two are not directly comparable.
Skills and Training
Most millwork shop jobs need a high school diploma or equivalent, and most training happens on the job, according to the BLS. Skilled workers read blueprints and shop drawings, set up machines and plan work sequences.
Skills that help in millwork:
- Reading shop drawings. Every piece is built to a drawing for a specific building.
- Precision. Trim, paneling and casework must fit exactly when they reach the site.
- CNC and machine skills. The BLS notes that CNC machine certification, offered by community colleges and machine manufacturers, may help.
- Finishing knowledge. Many shops finish pieces before they are delivered.
Industry Standards and Training
AWI runs a Quality Certification Program, which certifies millwork companies and projects that meet its standards. It also offers training through an online learning platform, AWI IS, which includes courses and exams that lead to industry-recognized credentials, and in-person boot camps.
Working Conditions
Millwork shops share the noise, dust and machine hazards of other wood manufacturing. In 2024, wood product manufacturing had 4.2 recordable injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers, according to the BLS. Workers regularly wear hearing protection, safety glasses and respirators or masks. Installation work also involves lifting, ladders and job site conditions.
Job Outlook
The BLS projects that employment in other wood product manufacturing, the industry group that includes millwork, will grow by 0.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 236,900 to 238,200 jobs. Its output is projected to grow faster, by about 1.7% a year.
What Is Driving the Outlook
- Automation. In its projections, the BLS says advances in CNC equipment allow manufacturers in this industry to produce more with fewer woodworkers. It projects a 3% decline for woodworking and sawing machine operators in the industry.
- Renovation demand. The BLS says demand for wood products used in home renovation may help sustain some woodworking jobs.
In the BLS employment matrix for this industry, assemblers and carpenters are projected to grow by about 2% from 2025 to 2035, while woodworking and sawing machine operators decline by 3%.
How to Find and Apply
- Search “millwork” with a role. Try millwork assembler, millwork installer, CNC operator millwork, and millwork shop helper.
- Look up local millwork and architectural woodwork companies. Local builders and contractors can point you to the shops they use.
- Contact door, window and trim manufacturers. They are part of the same industry and hire machine operators and assemblers.
- Use public job services. CareerOneStop lists openings and the American Job Centers near you.
- Bring proof of your skills. Photos of trim, cabinets or built-ins you have made, and a list of machines you can run.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between millwork and cabinetmaking?
They overlap. Cabinetmaking is one part of millwork, which also covers doors, windows, trim, paneling, stairs and other interior woodwork made for buildings.
How much do millwork workers make?
It depends on the role. In wood product manufacturing in 2025, median annual wages ranged from about $41,540 for team assemblers to $63,110 for supervisors, according to the BLS.
Do millwork jobs require certification?
No. Training is mostly on the job. AWI training and CNC certification can help you stand out.
Related Guides
- Woodworking Jobs: Types, Pay and How to Get Started
- Cabinetmaker Jobs: What the Work Involves and How to Get Hired
- Woodworking Machine Operator and CNC Jobs
Sources: BLS – Wood Product Manufacturing: Industries at a Glance, BLS – Employment and Output by Industry, 2025–35, BLS – National Employment Matrix, Other Wood Product Manufacturing, BLS – Factors Affecting Occupational Utilization, 2025–35, BLS – Carpenters and Architectural Woodwork Institute – About AWI.
