How much do carpenters make?
Carpenters make $60,580 a year at the national median, and the middle half earn between $48,510 and $76,830.[onet_carp][oews] The BLS occupation (SOC 47-2031) covers framing, finish, form and commercial carpenters on payrolls, 670,090 jobs in May 2025.[oews_api] Carpenters who work for themselves are not in the survey.[oews_faq]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $40,410 | $19.43 | $34,649 |
| 25th | $48,510 | $23.32 | $41,158 |
| Median (50th) | $60,580 | $29.13 | $50,856 |
| 75th | $76,830 | $36.94 | $62,880 |
| 90th | $99,910 | $48.03 | $79,117 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Carpenter hourly pay vs other trades
Carpenter hourly pay is $29.13 at the median, $19.43 at the 10th percentile and $48.03 at the 90th.[onet_carp] That is below the licensed mechanical and electrical trades at every point of the range:
| Trade | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Median vs carpenter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenter | $40,410 | $60,580 | $99,910 | — |
| Electrician | $42,640 | $63,190 | $108,510 | +$2,610 |
| Plumber | $44,150 | $63,800 | $108,420 | +$3,220 |
| Welder | $39,240 | $53,750 | $77,530 | −$6,830 |
| HVAC technician | $40,050 | $61,010 | $95,210 | +$430 |
Union carpenter pay follows each local’s contract and includes benefit funds that BLS leaves out, so we do not publish a national union scale. Registered carpentry apprenticeships pay on a rising wage schedule like the other building trades.[ecfr295]
Carpenter salary by state
Hawaii pays carpenters the most at a median of $85,280, followed by Illinois ($79,000) and California ($75,920); Oklahoma pays the least at $46,910.[onet_carp][oews_api]
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hawaii | $85,280 | $41.00 | $52,760 | $115,900 | 4,810 |
| 2. Illinois | $79,000 | $37.98 | $39,890 | $117,660 | 19,570 |
| 3. California | $75,920 | $36.50 | $47,490 | $119,950 | 100,750 |
| 4. Massachusetts | $75,200 | $36.15 | $48,230 | $122,880 | 18,540 |
| 5. Washington | $74,190 | $35.67 | $52,330 | $119,920 | 26,960 |
| 6. Alaska | $73,860 | $35.51 | $49,060 | $151,530 | 2,560 |
| 7. New York | $72,330 | $34.77 | $46,860 | $122,400 | 40,630 |
| 8. Minnesota | $64,930 | $31.22 | $46,590 | $99,130 | 14,930 |
| 9. Connecticut | $64,060 | $30.80 | $49,140 | $88,000 | 5,160 |
| 10. New Jersey | $64,010 | $30.77 | $43,680 | $121,490 | 14,230 |
| 11. Maryland | $62,960 | $30.27 | $43,930 | $94,970 | 9,770 |
| 12. Indiana | $62,870 | $30.23 | $45,510 | $90,700 | 15,240 |
| 13. Oregon | $62,870 | $30.23 | $43,800 | $106,360 | 15,110 |
| 14. Colorado | $62,830 | $30.21 | $47,020 | $90,740 | 12,740 |
| 15. Vermont | $62,400 | $30.00 | $47,840 | $76,850 | 3,080 |
| 16. Nevada | $62,380 | $29.99 | $41,670 | $102,360 | 12,700 |
| 17. Maine | $62,160 | $29.88 | $47,130 | $78,240 | 5,170 |
| 18. District of Columbia | $61,710 | $29.67 | $47,840 | $80,720 | 1,540 |
| 19. Michigan | $61,680 | $29.65 | $44,550 | $81,860 | 18,590 |
| 20. Wisconsin | $61,660 | $29.64 | $45,110 | $93,040 | 13,880 |
| 21. New Hampshire | $61,200 | $29.42 | $45,500 | $92,410 | 3,760 |
| 22. Missouri | $60,840 | $29.25 | $38,700 | $96,310 | 14,410 |
| 23. Rhode Island | $60,840 | $29.25 | $47,840 | $89,670 | 2,580 |
| 24. Ohio | $60,810 | $29.24 | $42,290 | $81,140 | 18,450 |
| 25. New Mexico | $59,720 | $28.71 | $40,100 | $77,790 | 3,630 |
| 26. Pennsylvania | $59,370 | $28.54 | $42,970 | $92,110 | 30,630 |
| 27. Delaware | $59,200 | $28.46 | $45,160 | $81,320 | 2,250 |
| 28. Montana | $58,820 | $28.28 | $43,010 | $77,140 | 4,030 |
| 29. Arizona | $58,580 | $28.16 | $38,830 | $75,950 | 16,230 |
| 30. North Dakota | $57,890 | $27.83 | $43,860 | $76,760 | 2,360 |
| 31. Iowa | $57,710 | $27.75 | $39,040 | $76,540 | 5,770 |
| 32. Kansas | $56,960 | $27.38 | $38,860 | $88,090 | 5,210 |
| 33. Wyoming | $56,850 | $27.33 | $44,710 | $80,800 | 2,260 |
| 34. Virginia | $55,690 | $26.77 | $38,230 | $74,250 | 20,460 |
| 35. Kentucky | $52,680 | $25.33 | $36,760 | $72,960 | 8,540 |
| 36. Utah | $52,360 | $25.17 | $36,560 | $75,170 | 15,220 |
| 37. Idaho | $52,000 | $25.00 | $36,850 | $75,710 | 8,380 |
| 38. Tennessee | $50,830 | $24.44 | $37,460 | $66,450 | 8,200 |
| 39. South Carolina | $50,670 | $24.36 | $36,010 | $79,040 | 6,950 |
| 40. Nebraska | $50,320 | $24.19 | $38,920 | $72,800 | 5,710 |
| 41. Louisiana | $49,920 | $24.00 | $34,100 | $69,310 | 8,990 |
| 42. Florida | $49,870 | $23.98 | $36,910 | $69,950 | 39,300 |
| 43. Georgia | $49,350 | $23.73 | $34,890 | $63,470 | 9,190 |
| 44. North Carolina | $49,100 | $23.61 | $35,620 | $63,160 | 13,480 |
| 45. Texas | $48,900 | $23.51 | $36,980 | $65,920 | 33,540 |
| 46. West Virginia | $48,710 | $23.42 | $35,900 | $70,060 | 3,670 |
| 47. Mississippi | $48,650 | $23.39 | $34,670 | $63,440 | 2,950 |
| 48. Alabama | $48,220 | $23.18 | $34,430 | $63,140 | 5,560 |
| 49. South Dakota | $48,140 | $23.14 | $37,720 | $65,890 | 4,560 |
| 50. Arkansas | $47,760 | $22.96 | $36,400 | $70,550 | 4,030 |
| 51. Oklahoma | $46,910 | $22.55 | $34,670 | $64,940 | 3,820 |
Jobs: BLS OEWS employment estimate, May 2025.
Highest-paying metro areas for carpenters
Kankakee, IL has the highest carpenter median, $95,280.[onet_carp]
| Area | Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kankakee, IL | $95,280 | $45.81 |
| 2. Urban Honolulu, HI | $94,310 | $45.34 |
| 3. Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $91,970 | $44.22 |
| 4. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89,200 | $42.88 |
| 5. Decatur, IL | $87,220 | $41.93 |
| 6. Fairbanks-College, AK | $84,970 | $40.85 |
| 7. Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $84,650 | $40.70 |
| 8. Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $84,430 | $40.59 |
| 9. Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $82,110 | $39.48 |
| 10. Napa, CA | $80,590 | $38.75 |
Carpenters thinking about a licensed trade can compare the electrician salary and plumber salary pages, or elevator mechanic salary.
Frequently asked questions
How much do carpenters make an hour?
$29.13 at the national median (BLS, May 2025); $19.43 at the 10th percentile and $48.03 at the 90th.
What state pays carpenters the most?
Hawaii ($85,280 median), then Illinois and California.
How much does a carpenter take home?
About $50,856 a year, or $4,238 a month, for a single filer at the national median after 2026 federal income tax and FICA.
Sources
- Local Wages: 47-2031.00 Carpenters (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- 29 CFR 29.5, Standards of apprenticeship (2,000-hour minimum term; 144 hours related instruction recommended; progressive wage schedule)
- Local Wages: 47-2111.00 Electricians (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 47-2152.00 Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 51-4121.00 Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 49-9021.00 Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers (state and metro percentiles)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)