SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood and comparable materials, such as concrete forms; building frameworks, including partitions, joists, studding, and rafters; and wood stairways, window and door frames, and hardwood floors. May also install cabinets, siding, drywall, and batt or roll insulation. Includes brattice builders who build doors or brattices (ventilation walls or partitions) in underground passageways.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-2031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $40,410 | $3,368 | $777 | $19.43 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $48,510 | $4,042 | $933 | $23.32 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $60,580 | $5,048 | $1,165 | $29.12 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $76,830 | $6,402 | $1,478 | $36.94 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $99,910 | $8,326 | $1,921 | $48.03 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Carpenters is $60,580, which is 19% higher. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 20 by median pay. With 670,090 jobs, it makes up about 43 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Carpenters pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($85,280), Illinois ($79,000) and California ($75,920). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($30,530), Guam ($36,910) and Oklahoma ($46,910). The most jobs were in California (100,750), New York (40,630) and Florida (39,300). The occupation is most concentrated in Guam, where its share of all jobs is 5.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 4,810 | $85,280 | $87,480 | $41.00 |
| Illinois | 19,570 | $79,000 | $80,320 | $37.98 |
| California | 100,750 | $75,920 | $78,810 | $36.50 |
| Massachusetts | 18,540 | $75,200 | $79,680 | $36.16 |
| Washington | 26,960 | $74,190 | $79,170 | $35.67 |
| Alaska | 2,560 | $73,860 | $80,460 | $35.51 |
| New York | 40,630 | $72,330 | $75,970 | $34.77 |
| Minnesota | 14,930 | $64,930 | $70,320 | $31.22 |
| Connecticut | 5,160 | $64,060 | $68,680 | $30.80 |
| New Jersey | 14,230 | $64,010 | $71,990 | $30.77 |
| Maryland | 9,770 | $62,960 | $69,040 | $30.27 |
| Indiana | 15,240 | $62,870 | $64,950 | $30.23 |
| Oregon | 15,110 | $62,870 | $70,880 | $30.23 |
| Colorado | 12,740 | $62,830 | $66,190 | $30.21 |
| Vermont | 3,080 | $62,400 | $62,000 | $30.00 |
| Nevada | 12,700 | $62,380 | $69,250 | $29.99 |
| Maine | 5,170 | $62,160 | $63,300 | $29.88 |
| District of Columbia | 1,540 | $61,710 | $65,990 | $29.67 |
| Michigan | 18,590 | $61,680 | $62,140 | $29.66 |
| Wisconsin | 13,880 | $61,660 | $65,300 | $29.65 |
| New Hampshire | 3,760 | $61,200 | $64,100 | $29.42 |
| Missouri | 14,410 | $60,840 | $65,000 | $29.25 |
| Rhode Island | 2,580 | $60,840 | $64,320 | $29.25 |
| Ohio | 18,450 | $60,810 | $62,590 | $29.24 |
| New Mexico | 3,630 | $59,720 | $57,430 | $28.71 |
| Pennsylvania | 30,630 | $59,370 | $63,220 | $28.54 |
| Delaware | 2,250 | $59,200 | $62,690 | $28.46 |
| Montana | 4,030 | $58,820 | $59,640 | $28.28 |
| Arizona | 16,230 | $58,580 | $58,980 | $28.17 |
| North Dakota | 2,360 | $57,890 | $57,980 | $27.83 |
| Iowa | 5,770 | $57,710 | $57,640 | $27.75 |
| Kansas | 5,210 | $56,960 | $59,460 | $27.39 |
| Wyoming | 2,260 | $56,850 | $59,350 | $27.33 |
| Virginia | 20,460 | $55,690 | $55,390 | $26.77 |
| Kentucky | 8,540 | $52,680 | $54,820 | $25.33 |
| Utah | 15,220 | $52,360 | $55,360 | $25.17 |
| Idaho | 8,380 | $52,000 | $56,080 | $25.00 |
| Virgin Islands | 270 | $51,730 | $53,410 | $24.87 |
| Tennessee | 8,200 | $50,830 | $53,990 | $24.44 |
| South Carolina | 6,950 | $50,670 | $55,350 | $24.36 |
| Nebraska | 5,710 | $50,320 | $54,960 | $24.19 |
| Louisiana | 8,990 | $49,920 | $51,600 | $24.00 |
| Florida | 39,300 | $49,870 | $52,560 | $23.98 |
| Georgia | 9,190 | $49,350 | $50,290 | $23.72 |
| North Carolina | 13,480 | $49,100 | $50,510 | $23.61 |
| Texas | 33,540 | $48,900 | $50,990 | $23.51 |
| West Virginia | 3,670 | $48,710 | $50,540 | $23.42 |
| Mississippi | 2,950 | $48,650 | $49,280 | $23.39 |
| Alabama | 5,560 | $48,220 | $49,490 | $23.18 |
| South Dakota | 4,560 | $48,140 | $51,330 | $23.14 |
| Arkansas | 4,030 | $47,760 | $51,350 | $22.96 |
| Oklahoma | 3,820 | $46,910 | $49,610 | $22.55 |
| Guam | 1,510 | $36,910 | $39,730 | $17.74 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,180 | $30,530 | $31,250 | $14.68 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators$61,810 a year
- Sheet Metal Workers$61,800 a year
- Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters$61,390 a year
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$60,190 a year
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850 a year
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers$58,970 a year
Common questions
How much do Carpenters earn in the United States?
The median pay was $60,580 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,410 and the highest-paid 10% more than $99,910.
How many people work as Carpenters?
About 670,090 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.