What Does it Take to Be a Construction Carpenter?
Career Description Construct, erect, install, and repair structures and fixtures of wood, plywood, and wallboard, using carpenter’s hand tools and power tools.
Daily Life Of a Construction Carpenter
- Inspect ceiling or floor tile, wall coverings, siding, glass, or woodwork to detect broken or damaged structures.
- Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or power saws.
- Study specifications in blueprints, sketches, or building plans to prepare project layout and determine dimensions and materials required.
- Apply shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative paneling to ceilings or walls.
- Prepare cost estimates for clients or employers.
- Cover subfloors with building paper to keep out moisture and lay hardwood, parquet, or wood-strip-block floors by nailing floors to subfloor or cementing them to mastic or asphalt base.
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Construction Carpenter Needed Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Construction Carpenters say are important on the job.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Types of Construction Carpenter Jobs
- Residential Finish Carpenter
- Tank Carpenter
- Tank Builder and Erector
- Door Hanger
- Carpentry and Masonry Specialist
Is There Going to be Demand for Construction Carpenters?
In the United States, there were 1,025,600 jobs for Construction Carpenter in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 83,800 new jobs for Construction Carpenter by 2026. The BLS estimates 104,400 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Construction Carpenter are Utah, Colorado, and Oregon. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, New Mexico, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Construction Carpenter Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Construction Carpenter ranges between $28,860 and $82,750.

Construction Carpenters who work in Hawaii, Illinois, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Construction Carpenters in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $40,310 |
Alaska | $66,240 |
Arizona | $43,460 |
Arkansas | $36,390 |
California | $59,860 |
Colorado | $47,640 |
Connecticut | $57,910 |
Delaware | $49,960 |
District of Columbia | $53,470 |
Florida | $40,660 |
Georgia | $45,850 |
Hawaii | $73,070 |
Idaho | $38,760 |
Illinois | $66,280 |
Indiana | $47,970 |
Iowa | $42,660 |
Kansas | $43,300 |
Kentucky | $47,320 |
Louisiana | $45,910 |
Maine | $42,230 |
Maryland | $48,870 |
Massachusetts | $60,970 |
Michigan | $47,740 |
Minnesota | $52,610 |
Mississippi | $37,740 |
Missouri | $55,220 |
Montana | $42,480 |
Nebraska | $39,080 |
Nevada | $53,140 |
New Hampshire | $47,150 |
New Jersey | $63,230 |
New Mexico | $39,430 |
New York | $62,880 |
North Carolina | $37,180 |
North Dakota | $42,850 |
Ohio | $47,940 |
Oklahoma | $42,990 |
Oregon | $48,680 |
Pennsylvania | $53,450 |
Rhode Island | $51,090 |
South Carolina | $44,490 |
South Dakota | $36,340 |
Tennessee | $39,620 |
Texas | $40,370 |
Utah | $42,160 |
Vermont | $44,590 |
Virginia | $43,750 |
Washington | $60,800 |
West Virginia | $43,570 |
Wisconsin | $50,760 |
Wyoming | $48,750 |
What Tools do Construction Carpenters Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Construction Carpenters may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
- Intuit Quicken
- Estimating software
- Drawing and drafting software
- Job costing software
- Craftsman CD Estimator
- Wilhelm Publishing Threshold
- Web page creation and editing software
- Bosch Punch List
- VirtualBoss
Becoming a Construction Carpenter
What education or degrees do I need to become a Construction Carpenter?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Construction Carpenter?

Where Construction Carpenters Work

Construction Carpenters work in the following industries:

References:
Image Credit: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James Seward via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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