Headline risk
12%
Low RiskWoodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Set up, operate, or tend woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood nailing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 40,440
Employment 2024
63.1K
Projected Change (2024–34)
-1.8%
Openings (2024–34)
6.4K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of woodworkers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2024 to 2034, decline.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. 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. AI use: 0%
- 2. Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly. AI use: 0%
- 3. Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications. AI use: 0%
- 4. Set up, program, operate, or tend computerized or manual woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, or wood-nailing machines. AI use: 0%
- 5. Clean or maintain products, machines, or work areas. AI use: 0%
- 6. Examine raw woodstock for defects and to ensure conformity to size and other specification standards. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 40.6 · 55K employed
Under 25: 4% · 25–54: 80% · 55+: 16%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
title_match · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Woodworkers manufacture a variety of products, such as cabinets and furniture, using wood, veneers, and laminates.
Most woodworkers are employed in manufacturing industries. Although their working conditions vary, woodworkers may encounter machinery noise and wood dust.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to become a woodworker. Although some entry-level jobs may be learned in 1 month or less, becoming proficient typically requires several months to more than a year of on-the-job training. The ability to use computer-controlled machinery also is important.
The median annual wage for woodworkers was $43,720 in May 2024.
Overall employment of woodworkers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2024 to 2034, decline.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.