by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Furniture Design & Manufacturing explores Furniture Design And Manufacturing. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Prepare And Execute Furniture Design Projects, Assemble And Finish Furniture Articles Or Subassemblies, Repair Furniture, And Use A Variety Of Hand And Power Tools. Read on to learn the key facts every furniture design & manufacturing student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering furniture design & manufacturing programs.
In the U.S., furniture design & manufacturing is a popular field of study, with 70 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Furniture Design & Manufacturing Schools ranking analyzes these 8 schools to determine the best overall colleges for furniture design & manufacturing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of furniture design & manufacturing programs later in this article.
Coursework for Furniture Design & Manufacturing develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations furniture design & manufacturing graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a furniture design & manufacturing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a furniture design & manufacturing major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several furniture design & manufacturing degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 22 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 32 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 15 |
People currently working in careers related to furniture design & manufacturing tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 61.2% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 35.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in furniture design & manufacturing careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in furniture design & manufacturing can lead to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to furniture design & manufacturing.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to furniture design & manufacturing.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Woodworkers, All Other | 945,993 | 10.0% |
| Furniture Finishers | 418,120 | 7.3% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of furniture design & manufacturing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $28,034 |
| 4 years | $43,408 |
| 5 years | $46,526 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for furniture design & manufacturing graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers furniture design & manufacturing grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Woodworkers, All Other | $57,136 |
| Furniture Finishers | $37,305 |
With 8 different furniture design & manufacturing programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased furniture design & manufacturing school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in furniture design & manufacturing, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Cabinetmaking and Millwork | 464 |
| Woodworking, General | 78 |
| Wooden Boatbuilding Technology/Technician | 41 |
| Woodworking, Other | 6 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
