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Sector

Careers in Furniture Manufacturing

Furniture manufacturing builds residential and commercial furniture โ€” from factories producing standardized items to shops crafting custom pieces. Mostly on-site work with moderate credential requirements.

348K
U.S. jobs
In this sector
$52K
Median salary
Across all roles
Furniture Manufacturing jobs by metro area
Bubble size = total employment
Furniture Manufacturing employment by metro ยท ~393 areas
1.Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA7K
2.New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ7K
3.Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX5K
4.Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN5K
5.Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA4K

Jobs per 100K workforce โ€” measures industry density

1.Elkhart-Goshen, IN1,682.5
2.Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC1,166.7
3.Wausau, WI606.4
4.Morristown, TN475.1
5.Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI419.6
BLS OEWS May 2024
Understanding this Sector
What it's like to work in Furniture Manufacturing

Furniture manufacturing builds products for homes and offices โ€” there's satisfaction in craftsmanship, making items people use daily, and tangible production with design connection. Many find meaning in building quality furniture.

The challenge can come from import competition and style cycles. Overseas manufacturing dominates mass furniture; domestic production focuses on custom, commercial, or premium segments. Style preferences shift, affecting demand. Wood dust and machinery create safety considerations.

The field varies by furniture type and scale. Residential differs from office, hospitality, or institutional furniture. Custom shops operate differently than production facilities. Woodworking roles differ from upholstery, finishing, or assembly.

For those who thrive here, the rewards are genuine: craftsman satisfaction, making quality products, often less pressure than high-volume manufacturing, and tangible output. If you enjoy woodworking or furniture production, can find positions in remaining domestic manufacturing, furniture offers rewarding craft opportunities.

How people break in

Production positions are accessible. Craft skills develop with experience or training. Design and engineering roles require relevant education. Custom work values demonstrated capability.

Work environment tends toward
Craft traditionsProduction and customWoodworking skillsRegional clustersImport competition
Industries it connects to
RetailReal EstateInterior DesignWholesale
Salary vs. national average
-27%
$52K median vs. $71K national
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0K$16K$38K$150K$239K*387 metro areas across 50 states, sorted by salary level โ†’
Salary range across all furniture manufacturing roles
Where your dollar goes furthest
1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$91K
2. Boulder$77K
3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$73K
4. Trenton-Princeton$69K
5. Durham-Chapel Hill$69K
BLS OEWS May 2024
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.

Median salaries range from ~$69K in mid-market metros to ~$102K in top-tier cities. But cost of living closes a lot of that gap โ€” metros with lower regional price parities often offer the best purchasing power.

Highest paying
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $102K
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ยท $87K
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $79K
Best purchasing power
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $91K adj.
Boulder ยท $77K adj.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $73K adj.
Most jobs
New York ยท 20.4M
Los Angeles ยท 13.7M
Chicago ยท 10.3M
BLS OEWS May 2024 ยท BEA Regional Price Parities

What the data says about this sector

Beyond salary and job counts โ€” signals that shape the day-to-day experience of working in Furniture Manufacturing.

๐Ÿšช
Annual Quit Rate
Based on all Manufacturing data
18%
People tend to stay in Manufacturing. Lower turnover often indicates better working conditions or higher switching costs.
โ†“ 4%vs. 22% all industries
๐Ÿข
Typical Employer Size
Small-skewed
Small businesses dominate. More variety in roles but less formal structure and benefits.
91%
Small
<50
8%
Mid
50โ€“249
2%
Large
250+
๐Ÿ 
Remote / Hybrid Prevalence
mostly_onsite
Many roles can be done remotely. Location flexibility is a realistic expectation.
Mostly on-siteHybrid commonRemote-first
๐Ÿ“‹
Credential Density
Moderate
Most roles don't require formal credentials. Skills and experience matter more than certificates.
Few credentialsSome requiredMany required
๐Ÿค
Union Presence
Based on all Manufacturing data
~9%
Minimal union coverage means compensation is individually negotiated. Know your market rate going in.
โ†“ 9%vs. 11% all industries
BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Union Members Summary 2024
Career Tracks

Career tracks in Furniture Manufacturing

How jobs in this sector break down by function, and what they typically pay.

Admin & Office
9%
$57K median
Explore โ†’
Production
9%
$50K median
Explore โ†’
Maintenance & Repair
8%
$54K median
Explore โ†’
Transportation
7%
$48K median
Explore โ†’
Business Operations
7%
$69K median
Explore โ†’
Sales
7%
$57K median
Explore โ†’
Median salary for occupations employed within Furniture Manufacturing. BLS OEWS May 2024.

Explore careers in Furniture Manufacturing

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) ยท BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034
Truest editorial: Industry narrative, sector context, career track mapping, working signals analysis.