Cabinetmakers build, assemble, and finish custom cabinets, architectural millwork, fixtures, and furniture-grade components from shop drawings. It is a skilled shop craft, learned through apprenticeship and experience, and pay reflects joinery, finishing, and increasingly CNC and Cabinet Vision fluency. This guide sets out what it pays.
The official wage band
Job Bank classifies this trade under NOC 72311, Cabinetmakers. It is a dedicated, single-occupation code, so the figures cover the cabinetmaking craft cleanly. These are the official hourly wages in Canada, low to high, updated November 19, 2025.
| Level | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Low | $19.00 |
| Median | $24.00 |
| High | $31.00 |
The official band reflects the broad trade. In the market, job postings for skilled and senior work run higher, and lead and shop-supervisor roles reach further still in strong custom-millwork markets.
Reading the band
The band is wide because it spans a junior bench hand near the floor and a skilled journeyperson-level cabinetmaker running finish work and CNC at the top. Read the upper end as the custom-millwork and lead-hand end, where joinery, finishing, and shop-drawing and CNC skill are part of the job.
What lifts your pay
- A Red Seal endorsement and journeyperson-level skill
- Fine joinery, veneer and laminate work, and high-end finishing
- CNC and Cabinet Vision fluency and digital fabrication
- Custom millwork, architectural, and store-fixture work, and lead-hand roles
A note on certification
Certification here is voluntary, not a compulsory ticket. Cabinetmaker certification is earned through a four-year apprenticeship in every province and territory, and a Red Seal endorsement is available for interprovincial mobility. So a cabinetmaker is paid for craft and experience, and certification is a way to formalize it rather than a licence to work.
Reading the ranges
These bands cover NOC 72311, the cabinetmaking craft, which is distinct from general carpentry. Junior bench hands sit near the floor. Skilled cabinetmakers with fine-finishing and CNC experience sit toward the ceiling.
Sources: Job Bank Canada wage data (NOC 72311, updated November 19, 2025), the Red Seal program, and provincial apprenticeship authorities.
Find your next role
New jobs are posted regularly. Set up a job alert and they reach you first.