SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Help carpenters by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Construction laborers who do not primarily assist carpenters are classified under “Construction Laborers” (47-2061). Apprentice workers are classified with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation (47-2011 through 47-2231).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-3012.
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 | $31,660 | $2,638 | $609 | $15.22 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $36,730 | $3,061 | $706 | $17.66 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $43,780 | $3,648 | $842 | $21.05 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $49,400 | $4,117 | $950 | $23.75 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $57,670 | $4,806 | $1,109 | $27.73 |
* 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 Helpers--Carpenters is $43,780, which is 14% lower. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 56 by median pay. With 21,680 jobs, it makes up about 1.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Helpers--Carpenters pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Hampshire ($58,090), Colorado ($50,900) and Connecticut ($50,460). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($24,530), Missouri ($32,420) and West Virginia ($33,760). The most jobs were in California (2,670), Texas (2,270) and Florida (2,120). The occupation is most concentrated in Puerto Rico, where its share of all jobs is 10.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | not published | $58,090 | $53,340 | $27.93 |
| Colorado | 200 | $50,900 | $48,970 | $24.47 |
| Connecticut | 200 | $50,460 | $51,390 | $24.26 |
| Rhode Island | not published | $50,300 | $51,160 | $24.18 |
| Maine | 160 | $50,100 | $48,560 | $24.09 |
| California | 2,670 | $49,890 | $54,530 | $23.99 |
| Massachusetts | 630 | $48,130 | $46,910 | $23.14 |
| New York | 1,110 | $47,740 | $48,050 | $22.95 |
| Arkansas | 100 | $46,800 | $48,940 | $22.50 |
| Washington | 620 | $46,060 | $50,800 | $22.14 |
| Illinois | not published | $45,660 | $45,340 | $21.95 |
| Michigan | 230 | $44,960 | $43,730 | $21.62 |
| Ohio | 540 | $44,760 | $42,740 | $21.52 |
| Hawaii | not published | $44,550 | $45,280 | $21.42 |
| Vermont | 200 | $44,550 | $46,680 | $21.42 |
| New Jersey | 840 | $44,040 | $44,100 | $21.17 |
| Texas | 2,270 | $43,950 | $42,120 | $21.13 |
| Pennsylvania | 560 | $43,880 | $43,180 | $21.10 |
| Virginia | 1,200 | $43,730 | $43,980 | $21.03 |
| Oregon | 220 | $43,260 | $45,390 | $20.80 |
| Indiana | 160 | $42,940 | $42,720 | $20.65 |
| Montana | not published | $42,670 | $45,240 | $20.51 |
| Idaho | not published | $41,820 | $41,060 | $20.10 |
| Arizona | not published | $41,540 | $41,440 | $19.97 |
| Louisiana | 860 | $40,900 | $39,860 | $19.66 |
| North Carolina | 650 | $40,540 | $40,420 | $19.49 |
| Florida | 2,120 | $40,220 | $41,750 | $19.34 |
| Georgia | 410 | $40,160 | $39,280 | $19.31 |
| Iowa | 100 | $39,830 | $41,360 | $19.15 |
| Tennessee | 440 | $39,790 | $42,670 | $19.13 |
| Nebraska | 50 | $39,670 | $39,720 | $19.07 |
| Wisconsin | 150 | $39,480 | $40,340 | $18.98 |
| Maryland | 580 | $39,470 | $41,790 | $18.98 |
| Alaska | 90 | $39,210 | $41,720 | $18.85 |
| Alabama | 410 | $38,930 | $39,370 | $18.72 |
| Kansas | 80 | $38,130 | $39,830 | $18.33 |
| Oklahoma | 150 | $38,080 | $36,980 | $18.31 |
| New Mexico | 50 | $37,100 | $40,120 | $17.84 |
| Nevada | 540 | $36,230 | $36,780 | $17.42 |
| South Carolina | 200 | $36,090 | $35,610 | $17.35 |
| Utah | 330 | $35,820 | $34,740 | $17.22 |
| Kentucky | not published | $35,520 | $36,570 | $17.08 |
| Mississippi | 140 | $35,360 | $34,660 | $17.00 |
| South Dakota | 330 | $34,700 | $35,600 | $16.68 |
| Delaware | 190 | $33,920 | $36,460 | $16.31 |
| West Virginia | 320 | $33,760 | $36,150 | $16.23 |
| Missouri | 50 | $32,420 | $36,040 | $15.59 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,410 | $24,530 | $26,390 | $11.80 |
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
- Construction Laborers$47,120 a year
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas$46,960 a year
- Helpers--Roofers$44,160 a year
- Helpers--Electricians$42,670 a year
- Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other$42,670 a year
- Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$42,360 a year
Common questions
How much do Helpers--Carpenters earn in the United States?
The median pay was $43,780 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,660 and the highest-paid 10% more than $57,670.
How many people work as Helpers--Carpenters?
About 21,680 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.