Carpenter earnings by seniority
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Carpenter salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $61,315 |
| New Jersey | $63,230 |
| Hawaii | $63,520 |
| Illinois | $51,603 |
| California | $56,770 |
| Massachusetts | $57,210 |
| Washington | $57,240 |
| Alaska | $56,041 |
| Connecticut | $56,390 |
| Missouri | $54,370 |
| District of Columbia | $52,630 |
| Nevada | $48,730 |
| Minnesota | $50,430 |
| Indiana | $47,970 |
| Ohio | $47,940 |
| Rhode Island | $47,170 |
| Wisconsin | $47,610 |
| Colorado | $46,702 |
| Delaware | $47,520 |
| Maryland | $46,320 |
| Wyoming | $47,140 |
| Oregon | $45,590 |
| Virgin Islands | $51,210 |
| Michigan | $45,410 |
| New Hampshire | $46,490 |
| Louisiana | $44,410 |
| Georgia | $38,910 |
| Iowa | $42,660 |
| Utah | $42,160 |
| Vermont | $42,730 |
| South Carolina | $39,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,289 |
| Kansas | $39,978 |
| Virginia | $42,080 |
| West Virginia | $40,140 |
| Kentucky | $39,110 |
| Oklahoma | $39,970 |
| North Dakota | $40,760 |
| Montana | $41,950 |
| Maine | $41,420 |
| Florida | $38,760 |
| Texas | $38,720 |
| Tennessee | $38,740 |
| New Mexico | $37,870 |
| Nebraska | $37,180 |
| North Carolina | $37,180 |
| Arizona | $36,891 |
| Mississippi | $36,770 |
| Alabama | $35,512 |
| Arkansas | $33,418 |
| South Dakota | $35,230 |
| Idaho | $33,105 |
| Guam | $31,410 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,830 |
How much does a Carpenter earn?
Carpentry is one of the oldest professions in construction, and one of the most flexible. One could choose to work on a smaller scale, building frameworks for homes, or on a slightly bigger scale, insulating a high-rise building, or even on a massive scale, fortifying trusses for bridges.
The starting carpenter salary for apprentices is typically between 30 to 50 percent of the wage that experienced carpenters make, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The industries hiring the most apprentice carpenters included residential building construction firms; non-residential building construction companies; building finishing contractors; and companies that specialize in foundation, and structure and building exteriors.
Union carpenters often receive higher carpenter salaries and better benefits because of their union's bargaining power. A union's bargaining power gives it the ability to negotiate wages with employers. Union carpenters must train as apprentices for three or four years before they become journeymen. They earn annual salaries averaging more than $70,000 annually.
How do carpenter salaries compare to similar careers?
Carpenters earn about the same as related careers in New Jersey. On average, they make less than plumbers but more than pipelayers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Plumber salary | $71K |
| Commercial diver salary | $74K |
| Electrician salary | $64K |
| Pipefitter salary | $64K |
| Brickmason salary | $67K |
| Carpenter salary | $63K |
| Surveyor salary | $69K |
| Crane operator salary | $70K |
| Building and construction inspector salary | $65K |
| Pipelayer salary | $67K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)