How much do carpenters make in 2026?
Carpenters earned a national median of $60,580 a year ($29.12/hr) in the latest federal wage data available (BLS OEWS, May 2025 estimates). BLS counts about 670,090 people employed in this occupation in the U.S.
Annual and hourly wages, all U.S. industries. Occupation used: Carpenters (SOC 47-2031). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What the percentiles mean
The median is the middle: half of carpenters earned more and half earned less. The 25th–75th percentile range ($48,510–$76,830) is what the middle half of workers earned. Newer workers and apprentices tend to be near the low end, and experienced, licensed or specialized workers near the high end. BLS does not publish pay by years of experience, so treat any experience-based number as an estimate.
Carpenters pay by state
BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates. "Not published" means BLS did not release that estimate (too few survey responses, or not enough workers to publish).
| State | Median / yr | Median / hr | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,220 | $23.18 | $34,430 | $63,140 | 5,560 |
| Alaska | $73,860 | $35.51 | $49,060 | $151,530 | 2,560 |
| Arizona | $58,580 | $28.17 | $38,830 | $75,950 | 16,230 |
| Arkansas | $47,760 | $22.96 | $36,400 | $70,550 | 4,030 |
| California | $75,920 | $36.50 | $47,490 | $119,950 | 100,750 |
| Colorado | $62,830 | $30.21 | $47,020 | $90,740 | 12,740 |
| Connecticut | $64,060 | $30.80 | $49,140 | $88,000 | 5,160 |
| Delaware | $59,200 | $28.46 | $45,160 | $81,320 | 2,250 |
| District of Columbia | $61,710 | $29.67 | $47,840 | $80,720 | 1,540 |
| Florida | $49,870 | $23.98 | $36,910 | $69,950 | 39,300 |
| Georgia | $49,350 | $23.72 | $34,890 | $63,470 | 9,190 |
| Hawaii | $85,280 | $41.00 | $52,760 | $115,900 | 4,810 |
| Idaho | $52,000 | $25.00 | $36,850 | $75,710 | 8,380 |
| Illinois | $79,000 | $37.98 | $39,890 | $117,660 | 19,570 |
| Indiana | $62,870 | $30.23 | $45,510 | $90,700 | 15,240 |
| Iowa | $57,710 | $27.75 | $39,040 | $76,540 | 5,770 |
| Kansas | $56,960 | $27.39 | $38,860 | $88,090 | 5,210 |
| Kentucky | $52,680 | $25.33 | $36,760 | $72,960 | 8,540 |
| Louisiana | $49,920 | $24.00 | $34,100 | $69,310 | 8,990 |
| Maine | $62,160 | $29.88 | $47,130 | $78,240 | 5,170 |
| Maryland | $62,960 | $30.27 | $43,930 | $94,970 | 9,770 |
| Massachusetts | $75,200 | $36.16 | $48,230 | $122,880 | 18,540 |
| Michigan | $61,680 | $29.66 | $44,550 | $81,860 | 18,590 |
| Minnesota | $64,930 | $31.22 | $46,590 | $99,130 | 14,930 |
| Mississippi | $48,650 | $23.39 | $34,670 | $63,440 | 2,950 |
| Missouri | $60,840 | $29.25 | $38,700 | $96,310 | 14,410 |
| Montana | $58,820 | $28.28 | $43,010 | $77,140 | 4,030 |
| Nebraska | $50,320 | $24.19 | $38,920 | $72,800 | 5,710 |
| Nevada | $62,380 | $29.99 | $41,670 | $102,360 | 12,700 |
| New Hampshire | $61,200 | $29.42 | $45,500 | $92,410 | 3,760 |
| New Jersey | $64,010 | $30.77 | $43,680 | $121,490 | 14,230 |
| New Mexico | $59,720 | $28.71 | $40,100 | $77,790 | 3,630 |
| New York | $72,330 | $34.77 | $46,860 | $122,400 | 40,630 |
| North Carolina | $49,100 | $23.61 | $35,620 | $63,160 | 13,480 |
| North Dakota | $57,890 | $27.83 | $43,860 | $76,760 | 2,360 |
| Ohio | $60,810 | $29.24 | $42,290 | $81,140 | 18,450 |
| Oklahoma | $46,910 | $22.55 | $34,670 | $64,940 | 3,820 |
| Oregon | $62,870 | $30.23 | $43,800 | $106,360 | 15,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,370 | $28.54 | $42,970 | $92,110 | 30,630 |
| Rhode Island | $60,840 | $29.25 | $47,840 | $89,670 | 2,580 |
| South Carolina | $50,670 | $24.36 | $36,010 | $79,040 | 6,950 |
| South Dakota | $48,140 | $23.14 | $37,720 | $65,890 | 4,560 |
| Tennessee | $50,830 | $24.44 | $37,460 | $66,450 | 8,200 |
| Texas | $48,900 | $23.51 | $36,980 | $65,920 | 33,540 |
| Utah | $52,360 | $25.17 | $36,560 | $75,170 | 15,220 |
| Vermont | $62,400 | $30.00 | $47,840 | $76,850 | 3,080 |
| Virginia | $55,690 | $26.77 | $38,230 | $74,250 | 20,460 |
| Washington | $74,190 | $35.67 | $52,330 | $119,920 | 26,960 |
| West Virginia | $48,710 | $23.42 | $35,900 | $70,060 | 3,670 |
| Wisconsin | $61,660 | $29.65 | $45,110 | $93,040 | 13,880 |
| Wyoming | $56,850 | $27.33 | $44,710 | $80,800 | 2,260 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,530 | $14.68 | $26,310 | $36,560 | 3,180 |
How to earn more as a carpenter
- Finish a carpentry apprenticeship (union or open-shop) and build skills in formwork, framing and finish work.
- Commercial, concrete-form and millwright or industrial carpentry often pay more than residential framing.
- Learn plan reading, layout and estimating so you can move to lead carpenter, foreman or superintendent.
- Get OSHA 10/30 and equipment certifications (aerial lift, forklift).
- Compare union (UBC) and open-shop pay including benefits, not just the hourly rate.
Find carpenter work
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FAQ
How much do carpenters make an hour?
The national median wage for Carpenters (SOC 47-2031) was $29.12 an hour, or $60,580 a year, in the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. Half earned more and half earned less.
What do the highest-paid carpenters earn?
The top 10% earned at least $99,910 a year ($48.03/hr). The bottom 10% earned less than $40,410 ($19.43/hr).
Which states pay carpenters the most?
By median annual wage in the BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates: Hawaii ($85,280); Illinois ($79,000); California ($75,920). Living costs differ by state, too.
Where do these numbers come from?
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 47-2031 (Carpenters). They cover wage and salary workers in all industries, not the self-employed, and are not broken out by experience.
Source and method
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Files oesm25nat and oesm25st from bls.gov, downloaded Nov 8, 2026. Occupation: Carpenters (SOC 47-2031), cross-industry, all ownerships. OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay: they include commissions, production bonuses, tips and on-call pay, and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. Annual wages are generally the hourly wage times 2,080 hours. "Not published" = estimate not released by BLS. BLS occupation profile · All pay guides