The best woodworking programs near Smithfield, Virginia pair focused training with a state median wage of about $45,910 a year for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most students finish a 6-to-24-month woodworking or cabinetmaking program or learn on the job in a cabinet shop; CNC skills increasingly set candidates apart.
Woodworkers and cabinetmakers build cabinets, furniture, millwork, and wood products using hand tools, machinery, and increasingly CNC equipment. Training typically covers joinery, machining, finishing, blueprint reading, and shop safety.
Key Facts
Virginia median wage: $45,910/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Virginia employment: 2,170 cabinetmakers and bench carpenters (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Virginia location quotient: 1.06 (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Typical program length: 6-12 months (certificate) to 2 years (associate) (Source: IPEDS, 2024)
Woodworking Schools near Smithfield
Compare woodworking schools near Smithfield
BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from
federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings
are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single
trade. Distance is measured from Smithfield, Virginia.
Schools closest to Smithfield, Virginia are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from Smithfield, Virginia is shown for reference.
The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation,
earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within
each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it.
*Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is
completed in person. Read the full methodology.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 5 schools
within 246 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
5 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Median Graduate Earnings by School - Best Woodworking Programs in Smithfield, Virginia (2026)Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard - median earnings of all graduates at each school (not a single program).
Median graduate earnings by school for schools serving Best Woodworking Programs in Smithfield, Virginia (2026)
School
Median graduate earnings
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
$57,788
Bucks County Community College
$52,637
Central Carolina Community College
$42,844
Ocean County Vocational-Technical School
$42,510
Woodworking Pay and Job Outlook
Annual Wage by Percentile, United States - Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersSource: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters annual wage percentiles
Percentile
Annual wage
10th
$35,650
25th
$38,830
50th (median)
$46,680
75th
$55,760
90th
$63,720
Projected employment growth, United States, Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters, 2024-2034Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters employment projection 2024 to 2034
Year
Employment
2024
86,000
2034 projected
84,700
Percent change
-1.6%
Virginia Woodworking Quick Facts
Woodworker Salary in U.S.
Median Salary$45,327$21.79/hr
Average Salary$46,660$22.43/hr
Salary Range
$35,65010th pctl
$45,327Median
$63,72090th pctl
10th Percentile$35,650 $17.14/hr
25th Percentile$38,830 $18.67/hr
75th Percentile$55,760 $26.81/hr
90th Percentile$63,720 $30.64/hr
Employment & Outlook
Total Employed118,020
Growth (2024-2034)-1.2%
Annual Openings12,900
Jobs per 1,0000.5
How to Start a Woodworking Career in Virginia
Finish high school or earn a GED. Shop classes, math, and blueprint reading are useful preparation.
Complete woodworking training. Certificate and diploma programs typically cover joinery, machining, finishing, and safety; on-the-job learning in a shop is the traditional alternative.
Build shop experience. Production work builds the speed, precision, and material knowledge the trade depends on.
Add CNC and modern production skills. CNC programming and operation skills are increasingly valuable in cabinet and furniture manufacturing.
Advance in the trade. Experienced woodworkers may move into lead, estimating, custom work, or their own shop.
No. No state licenses woodworkers or cabinetmakers. Employers value demonstrated shop skills, safety training, and experience with CNC and modern production equipment.
Pathways into the Field
Common entry paths are a woodworking certificate program, on-the-job training in a cabinet or millwork shop, or production roles in wood product manufacturing that grow into skilled bench work.
What You Study
Joinery and cabinet construction
Woodworking machinery and shop safety
Finishing techniques
Blueprint reading and shop math
CNC fundamentals
Tips for Choosing a Woodworking Program
Confirm accreditation and how recognized the credential is with employers.
Look for hands-on training in shop time, CNC equipment access, and portfolio pieces.
Compare flexible schedules (day/evening/online) that match your availability.
Ask about job-search support with local employers.
Review certification-prep resources and post-completion support.
Popular Online Programs In Virginia
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does woodworking training take near Smithfield?
Woodworking and cabinetmaking certificate programs typically run 6 months to 2 years. Many woodworkers instead learn on the job in cabinet shops and manufacturing plants, building skill over 1 to 3 years of supervised work.
How much do cabinetmakers and bench carpenters earn in Virginia?
According to BLS OEWS (May 2025), cabinetmakers and bench carpenters in Virginia earned a median annual wage of about $45,910. Pay varies with experience, employer, and specialization. The 10th-to-90th percentile range was about $33,280 to $63,800 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many woodworking schools are near Smithfield?
The schools listed above are within driving distance of Smithfield. Compare them by tuition, program length, BOC Score, and the credential each one awards.
Do woodworkers need a license?
No. No state licenses woodworkers or cabinetmakers. Employers value demonstrated shop skills, safety training, and experience with CNC and modern production equipment.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
Data
Provider
Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
