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Carpenters: Career Overview
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.
What Do Carpenters Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of carpenters span:
- Follow established safety rules and regulations and maintain a safe and clean environment.
- Measure and mark cutting lines on materials, using a ruler, pencil, chalk, and marking gauge.
- Assemble and fasten materials to make frameworks or props, using hand tools and wood screws, nails, dowel pins, or glue.
- Study specifications in blueprints, sketches, or building plans to prepare project layout and determine dimensions and materials required.
- Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or power saws.
- Verify trueness of structure, using plumb bob and level.
- Inspect ceiling or floor tile, wall coverings, siding, glass, or woodwork to detect broken or damaged structures.
- Erect scaffolding or ladders for assembling structures above ground level.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top carpenters rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Aluminum Siding Applicator
- Aluminum Siding Installer
- Aluminum Siding Mechanic
- Amusement and Recreational Prop Maker
- Asbestos Siding Mechanic
- Assembled Wood Products Repairer
- Beam Builder
- Boat Builder
Job Outlook
There are about 668,151 carpenters working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.2% over the projection horizon.
Carpenters Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $42,458 |
| Hourly median | $20.41 |
| 10th percentile | $30,870 |
| 25th percentile | $36,664 |
| 75th percentile | $48,251 |
| 90th percentile | $54,045 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $85,970 |
| Illinois | $76,410 |
| California | $74,820 |
| Washington | $73,260 |
| Massachusetts | $71,110 |
| District of Columbia | $66,100 |
| Alaska | $65,150 |
| Minnesota | $64,650 |
| New York | $63,660 |
| Connecticut | $63,510 |
| Nevada | $62,240 |
| Vermont | $62,220 |
| New Jersey | $61,880 |
| Michigan | $61,410 |
| Oregon | $61,170 |
| Missouri | $61,150 |
| Delaware | $61,100 |
| Indiana | $60,510 |
| Rhode Island | $60,510 |
| Wisconsin | $60,390 |
| Maryland | $60,130 |
| New Hampshire | $59,890 |
| Colorado | $59,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,240 |
| Maine | $59,190 |
| North Dakota | $58,390 |
| Ohio | $58,310 |
| Montana | $58,110 |
| Wyoming | $55,870 |
| Arizona | $54,540 |
| Iowa | $54,080 |
| New Mexico | $52,010 |
| Utah | $51,720 |
| Kansas | $51,550 |
| Kentucky | $50,860 |
| Georgia | $50,530 |
| Virgin Islands | $50,480 |
| Virginia | $50,220 |
| Louisiana | $49,660 |
| Nebraska | $49,590 |
| Tennessee | $49,520 |
| South Carolina | $48,910 |
| Idaho | $48,530 |
| Texas | $48,150 |
| Florida | $48,080 |
| Alabama | $47,880 |
| Oklahoma | $47,740 |
| North Carolina | $47,630 |
| West Virginia | $47,320 |
| South Dakota | $46,500 |
| Arkansas | $46,320 |
| Mississippi | $46,160 |
| Guam | $36,380 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,190 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for carpenters vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $72,498 | 24.4% | 1.49 |
| New England | $65,980 | 5.6% | 1.26 |
| Great Lakes | $64,496 | 13.4% | 0.97 |
| Middle Atlantic | $61,741 | 14.3% | 0.97 |
| Plains States | $57,798 | 8.1% | 1.25 |
| Rocky Mountains | $54,616 | 6.0% | 1.59 |
| Southwest | $50,288 | 8.5% | 0.78 |
| Southeast | $48,812 | 18.9% | 0.83 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $94,090 | 3,650 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | AK | $83,120 | 340 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | WI | $82,760 | 830 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $82,280 | 830 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | WI | $81,370 | 400 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $81,210 | 2,220 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $80,950 | 14,360 |
| Decatur, IL | IL | $80,770 | 200 |
Which Industries Hire Carpenters
The bulk of carpenters are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 594,410 | $59,890 |
| Manufacturing | 30,940 | $48,070 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 19,040 | $52,770 |
| Retail Trade | 8,250 | $50,500 |
| Educational Services | 6,350 | $56,600 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 5,560 | $53,030 |
| Wholesale Trade | 4,550 | $53,390 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 3,920 | $58,630 |
Carpenters work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for carpenters tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Spend Time Standing
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Education and Training
Typical carpenters positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons (Primary-Short)
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles (Supplemental)
- Tile and Stone Setters (Supplemental)
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Supplemental)
- Construction Laborers (Primary-Long)
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers (Primary-Short)
- Glaziers (Supplemental)
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring carpenters typically earn programs in:
Construction Trades
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2031.00 (Carpenters).
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