Carpenter Salary (2025)
Construction · SOC Code 47-2031 · 4-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Carpenter salaries range from $51,034 to $79,122 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Carpenter Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $79,122 | $48,211 – $117,079 | $42,311 | D | 6,882 |
| San Francisco, CA | $74,865 | $44,102 – $111,813 | $39,403 | D | 9,894 |
| Boston, MA | $73,183 | $47,164 – $108,553 | $48,147 | D | 9,910 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $70,726 | $44,961 – $104,528 | $61,501 | C | 3,254 |
| Chicago, IL | $69,705 | $45,013 – $98,019 | $65,145 | C | 3,987 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $66,853 | $43,409 – $96,638 | $40,273 | D | 5,606 |
| Denver, CO | $66,038 | $41,318 – $99,242 | $51,592 | D | 4,054 |
| Houston, TX | $64,905 | $40,234 – $96,007 | $67,609 | C | 3,736 |
| Seattle, WA | $64,817 | $40,165 – $99,715 | $43,501 | D | 3,713 |
| Portland, OR | $64,657 | $38,842 – $92,935 | $49,736 | D | 4,625 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $63,338 | $40,832 – $93,493 | $59,753 | C | 3,966 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $61,401 | $36,491 – $87,572 | $59,039 | C | 4,112 |
| Detroit, MI | $61,203 | $38,031 – $88,059 | $68,767 | C | 2,953 |
| Atlanta, GA | $61,107 | $37,433 – $94,037 | $57,648 | C | 4,608 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $61,073 | $36,652 – $91,440 | $63,618 | C | 2,882 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $59,807 | $36,048 – $85,765 | $65,008 | C | 3,547 |
| Dallas, TX | $59,116 | $38,150 – $86,444 | $57,957 | C | 4,370 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $57,833 | $36,947 – $87,824 | $55,609 | C | 3,495 |
| Charlotte, NC | $56,728 | $36,381 – $82,192 | $57,886 | C | 3,474 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $55,765 | $33,847 – $86,599 | $61,280 | C | 2,254 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $55,206 | $33,431 – $85,044 | $53,598 | C | 4,219 |
| San Antonio, TX | $54,694 | $32,933 – $83,079 | $60,771 | C | 2,423 |
| New Orleans, LA | $54,530 | $33,586 – $79,095 | $57,400 | C | 2,205 |
| Nashville, TN | $53,910 | $34,304 – $76,480 | $52,340 | D | 4,279 |
| St. Louis, MO | $53,841 | $33,293 – $82,108 | $59,823 | C | 3,619 |
| Miami, FL | $53,612 | $33,751 – $81,356 | $43,944 | D | 3,332 |
| Kansas City, MO | $52,391 | $34,083 – $77,029 | $55,735 | C | 2,346 |
| Tampa, FL | $52,184 | $32,309 – $79,888 | $51,667 | D | 3,308 |
| Columbus, OH | $52,139 | $33,169 – $74,693 | $56,063 | C | 3,887 |
| Raleigh, NC | $51,034 | $32,009 – $75,883 | $51,034 | D | 2,641 |
About Carpenter Pay
Carpenters earn a national median salary of $60,859 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is New York at $79,122 median, while Raleigh offers the lowest at $51,034.
Becoming a carpenter typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $48,211, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $117,079 or more. With 6% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related Construction Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for carpenters is $60,859 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $51,034 to $79,122 depending on city, experience, and union status.
New York offers the highest median pay for carpenters at $79,122. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 6% wage growth over 5 years, carpenter offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 123,581 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a carpenter typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $48,211 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.