Best institutions to study Furniture Design and Manufacturing
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to prepare and execute furniture design projects, assemble and finish furniture articles or subassemblies, repair furniture, and use a variety of hand and power tools.
7 U.S. institutions graduated 56 Furniture Design and Manufacturing students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 48.0702, a specialization of Woodworking (CIP 48.07), and leads most directly to the Furniture Finishers occupation (BLS SOC 51-7021).
About Furniture Design and Manufacturing programs
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to prepare and execute furniture design projects, assemble and finish furniture articles or subassemblies, repair furniture, and use a variety of hand and power tools.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Furniture Design and Manufacturing program, under the field of Woodworking, prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills in creating and executing furniture design projects. This program is ideal for those interested in assembling, finishing, and repairing furniture, as well as working with a variety of hand and power tools.
Students will gain essential skills in critical thinking, active listening, and various woodworking techniques. Coursework covers topics such as production processes, mechanical design, and customer service, equipping graduates with the knowledge needed to excel in the furniture industry.
Credentials awarded
What Furniture Design and Manufacturing graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree27 graduates / yr · 3 institutions48%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years11 graduates / yr · 1 institution20%
- Master's degree10 graduates / yr · 2 institutions18%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year8 graduates / yr · 2 institutions14%
Graduates over time
Furniture Design and Manufacturing completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 159 |
| 2013 | 127 |
| 2014 | 124 |
| 2015 | 131 |
| 2016 | 171 |
| 2017 | 135 |
| 2018 | 123 |
| 2019 | 111 |
| 2020 | 116 |
| 2021 | 65 |
| 2022 | 42 |
| 2023 | 74 |
| 2024 | 67 |
| 2025 | 56 |
Top 7 institutions for Furniture Design and Manufacturing, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RIPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 31 | 89% | $41,764 | $19,151 |
| 2 | North Bennet Street School Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years | 11 | 90% | $35,199 | — |
| 3 | Villa Maria College Buffalo, NYPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 31% | $14,260 | — |
| 4 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, MNPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 51% | $24,998 | — |
| 5 | California College of the Arts San Francisco, CAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 2 | 61% | $40,041 | — |
| 6 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, MAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 69% | — | — |
| 7 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | 70% | $28,133 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Woodworking field (CIP 48.07) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 5 states
Where Furniture Design and Manufacturing graduates come from. Each state links to all Woodworking programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 1 | 31 | Rhode Island School of Design31 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 12 | North Bennet Street School11 / yr |
| New York | 2 | 8 | Villa Maria College7 / yr |
| Minnesota | 1 | 3 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design3 / yr |
| California | 1 | 2 | California College of the Arts2 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 51-7021, Furniture Finishers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the program can pursue careers as Furniture Finishers or other woodworking occupations. Despite a projected decline in job growth of 3.3%, there are approximately 2,000 annual job openings in this field, with a median wage of $42,530. A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for entry-level positions.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 48.0702
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Furniture Finishersprimary SOC 51-7021 | $44,540 | -3.3% Decline | ~2,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Woodworkers, All Other SOC 51-7099 | $44,530 | -4.4% Decline | ~1,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Furniture Design and Manufacturing programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Brush, spray, or hand-rub finishing ingredients, such as paint, oil, stain, or wax, onto and into wood grain and apply lacquer or other sealers.
- Fill and smooth cracks or depressions, remove marks and imperfections, and repair broken parts, using plastic or wood putty, glue, nails, or screws.
- Smooth, shape, and touch up surfaces to prepare them for finishing, using sandpaper, pumice stones, steel wool, chisels, sanders, or grinders.
- Remove accessories prior to finishing, and mask areas that should not be exposed to finishing processes or substances.
- Remove old finishes and damaged or deteriorated parts, using hand tools, stripping tools, sandpaper, steel wool, abrasives, solvents, or dip baths.
- Treat warped or stained surfaces to restore original contours and colors.
Tools and technology used
Other Woodworking specializations
The 4 other 6-digit CIP codes under Woodworking (CIP 48.07).
Common questions
What degree can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's degree, an Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years, a Master's degree, or an Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, woodworking techniques, and customer service.
What careers are available after graduation?+
You can work as a Furniture Finisher or in other woodworking roles.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook shows a decline of 3.3%, with about 2,000 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Furniture Design and Manufacturing?+
Furniture Design and Manufacturing is CIP 48.0702 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Woodworking (CIP 48.07). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to prepare and execute furniture design projects, assemble and finish furniture articles or subassemblies, repair furniture, and use a variety of hand and power tools.
How many institutions offer Furniture Design and Manufacturing programs?+
7 U.S. institutions reported Furniture Design and Manufacturing graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 5 states, awarding 56 credentials in the year. That is 9.2% of all Woodworking graduates.
How much do Furniture Design and Manufacturing graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Furniture Finishers occupation, which Furniture Design and Manufacturing most directly leads to, pays a median of $44,540 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Woodworking field report median earnings of $19,151 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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