Carpenters salary
Skilled trades · OCC code 47-2031 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Carpenters in the US earn a median of $59,310 per year (mean $64,040) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +19.8% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, above the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $47,550 and $75,620; the top 10% earn $98,370 or more. The median hourly wage is $28.51. About 697,740 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Hawaii ($85,970). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Carpenters pay range (national percentiles)
What carpenters earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $38,760 |
| 25th percentile | $47,550 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $59,310 |
| Mean (average) | $64,040 |
| 75th percentile | $75,620 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $98,370 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Carpenters salary by state
Median and mean wage for carpenters in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $59,310.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $85,970 | $86,730 | 5,630 |
| 2 | Illinois | $76,410 | $77,940 | 24,930 |
| 3 | California | $74,820 | $77,680 | 106,500 |
| 4 | Washington | $73,260 | $77,630 | 26,340 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $71,110 | $77,360 | 19,100 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $66,100 | $67,460 | 1,270 |
| 7 | Alaska | $65,150 | $76,870 | 2,700 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $64,650 | $69,490 | 15,190 |
| 9 | New York | $63,660 | $73,190 | 44,500 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $63,510 | $66,010 | 5,680 |
| 11 | Nevada | $62,240 | $68,290 | 13,420 |
| 12 | Vermont | $62,220 | $61,910 | 3,010 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $61,880 | $73,130 | 12,930 |
| 14 | Michigan | $61,410 | $61,620 | 21,550 |
| 15 | Oregon | $61,170 | $67,280 | 16,390 |
| 16 | Missouri | $61,150 | $64,620 | 16,390 |
| 17 | Delaware | $61,100 | $63,060 | 1,650 |
| 18 | Indiana | $60,510 | $61,220 | 15,200 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $60,510 | $65,760 | 2,870 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $60,390 | $64,190 | 15,330 |
| 21 | Maryland | $60,130 | $63,080 | 10,460 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $59,890 | $61,380 | 3,960 |
| 23 | Colorado | $59,490 | $58,650 | 13,840 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $59,240 | $62,660 | 29,900 |
| 25 | Maine | $59,190 | $59,360 | 4,830 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $58,390 | $58,780 | 2,830 |
| 27 | Ohio | $58,310 | $58,610 | 17,280 |
| 28 | Montana | $58,110 | $58,130 | 4,240 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $55,870 | $59,570 | 2,460 |
| 30 | Arizona | $54,540 | $58,340 | 18,290 |
| 31 | Iowa | $54,080 | $55,560 | 6,650 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $52,010 | $53,560 | 3,220 |
| 33 | Utah | $51,720 | $54,620 | 14,040 |
| 34 | Kansas | $51,550 | $55,920 | 5,120 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $50,860 | $52,970 | 8,200 |
| 36 | Georgia | $50,530 | $50,700 | 9,620 |
| 37 | Virginia | $50,220 | $53,280 | 18,340 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $49,660 | $51,150 | 8,820 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $49,590 | $52,840 | 6,550 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $49,520 | $50,900 | 8,680 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $48,910 | $51,780 | 7,070 |
| 42 | Idaho | $48,530 | $53,010 | 7,340 |
| 43 | Texas | $48,150 | $49,320 | 34,400 |
| 44 | Florida | $48,080 | $50,200 | 44,130 |
| 45 | Alabama | $47,880 | $48,270 | 5,700 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $47,740 | $50,760 | 3,810 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $47,630 | $48,000 | 13,410 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $47,320 | $49,350 | 2,910 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $46,500 | $48,090 | 4,440 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $46,320 | $49,840 | 3,860 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $46,160 | $48,750 | 2,230 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Hawaii ($85,970). Lowest: Mississippi ($46,160).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (this job) | $59,310 | $64,040 | +19.8% |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,190 | $65,100 | +19.6% |
| Firefighters | $59,530 | $63,890 | +20.3% |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $59,810 | $62,690 | +20.8% |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $58,570 | $62,920 | +18.3% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $60,370 | $81,510 | +22.0% |
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors · Firefighters · Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers · Child, Family, and School Social Workers · Insurance Sales Agents
Frequently asked questions
How much do carpenters make?
Carpenters earn a national median of $59,310 per year (mean $64,040) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $47,550 (25th percentile) and $75,620 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $98,370 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $38,760. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for carpenters?
The median hourly wage is $28.51 and the mean is $30.79 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays carpenters the most?
Hawaii has the highest median wage for carpenters at $85,970, versus a national median of $59,310. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many carpenters are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 697,740 carpenters are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #87 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 47-2031), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20