Best institutions to study Woodworking
A program that generally prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to lay out and shape stock; assemble wooden articles or subassemblies; mark, bind, saw, carve, and sand wooden products; repair wooden articles, and use a variety of hand and power tools.
5 U.S. institutions graduated 37 Woodworking students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 48.0701, a specialization of Woodworking (CIP 48.07), and leads most directly to the Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing occupation (BLS SOC 51-7042).
About Woodworking programs
A program that generally prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to lay out and shape stock; assemble wooden articles or subassemblies; mark, bind, saw, carve, and sand wooden products; repair wooden articles, and use a variety of hand and power tools.
See also: 46.0201 - Carpentry/Carpenter.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Woodworking program provides students with the technical knowledge and skills necessary to work with wood in various capacities. This program is designed for individuals interested in shaping, assembling, and repairing wooden products using a variety of hand and power tools. Students will gain practical experience that prepares them for a range of woodworking tasks and occupations. This program is ideal for those who enjoy hands-on work and have a passion for craftsmanship. With a focus on precision production, students will learn to lay out and shape stock, operate woodworking machines, and ensure the quality of their finished products. Graduates can pursue careers in woodworking and related fields.
Students in the Woodworking program will develop core skills in monitoring, critical thinking, and mathematics. Coursework typically covers the operation of woodworking machines, examination of finished workpieces, and the inspection of raw woodstock for quality. Knowledge in mechanical processes, production and processing, and building and construction will also be emphasized.
Credentials awarded
What Woodworking graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year18 graduates / yr · 3 institutions49%
- Award of less than 12 weeks12 graduates / yr · 1 institution32%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years4 graduates / yr · 2 institutions11%
- Associate's degree3 graduates / yr · 1 institution8.1%
Graduates over time
Woodworking completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 88 |
| 2013 | 62 |
| 2014 | 126 |
| 2015 | 70 |
| 2016 | 110 |
| 2017 | 99 |
| 2018 | 107 |
| 2019 | 130 |
| 2020 | 76 |
| 2021 | 42 |
| 2022 | 38 |
| 2023 | 71 |
| 2024 | 78 |
| 2025 | 37 |
Top 5 institutions for Woodworking, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Rocks Community College Lakewood, COPublicAward of less than 12 weeksAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 24 | 32% | — |
| 2 | Northcentral Technical College Wausau, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 6 | 45% | — |
| 3 | Santa Fe Community College Santa Fe, NMPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 3 | 23% | — |
| 4 | Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology Pleasant Gap, PAPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 3 | 95% | — |
| 5 | Austin Community College District Austin, TXPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 1 | 20% | — |
Offered in 5 states
Where Woodworking graduates come from. Each state links to all Woodworking programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 1 | 24 | Red Rocks Community College24 / yr |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 6 | Northcentral Technical College6 / yr |
| New Mexico | 1 | 3 | Santa Fe Community College3 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 3 | Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology3 / yr |
| Texas | 1 | 1 | Austin Community College District1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 51-7042, Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Woodworking program can pursue careers as woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, as well as other woodworking roles. The job outlook indicates a decline of 1.8% in this field, with approximately 6,400 annual openings. The median wage for woodworking-related occupations is $40,440, and typical education required is a high school diploma or equivalent.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 48.0701
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawingprimary SOC 51-7042 | $43,380 | -1.8% Decline | ~6,400 | 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 Woodworking 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
- Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines.
- Examine finished workpieces for smoothness, shape, angle, depth-of-cut, or conformity to specifications and verify dimensions, visually and using hands, rules, calipers, templates, or gauges.
- Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.
- Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications.
- Examine raw woodstock for defects and to ensure conformity to size and other specification standards.
- Adjust machine tables or cutting devices and set controls on machines to produce specified cuts or operations.
Tools and technology used
Other Woodworking specializations
The 4 other 6-digit CIP codes under Woodworking (CIP 48.07).
- Cabinetmaking and MillworkCIP 48.0703483 graduates / yr37 institutions
- Furniture Design and ManufacturingCIP 48.0702partial data56 graduates / yr7 institutions
- Wooden Boatbuilding Technology/CIP 48.0704
Technician limited data28 graduates / yr2 institutions - WoodworkingCIP 48.0799limited data6 graduates / yr2 institutions
Common questions
What types of awards can I earn in this program?+
You can earn awards ranging from less than 12 weeks to an Associate's degree.
How many colleges in the U.S. offer this program?+
There are 5 colleges in the U.S. offering the Woodworking program.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in monitoring, critical thinking, mathematics, and active listening.
What is the job outlook for woodworking careers?+
The job outlook shows a decline of 1.8%, with 6,400 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Woodworking?+
Woodworking is CIP 48.0701 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 generally prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to lay out and shape stock; assemble wooden articles or subassemblies; mark, bind, saw, carve, and sand wooden products; repair wooden articles, and use a variety of hand and power tools.
How many institutions offer Woodworking programs?+
5 U.S. institutions reported Woodworking graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 5 states, awarding 37 credentials in the year. That is 6.1% of all Woodworking graduates.
How much do Woodworking graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing occupation, which Woodworking most directly leads to, pays a median of $43,380 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
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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