Trade hub · BLS OEWS May 2025
Carpenter
The short answer
Carpenters earn a median $60,580 per year nationally, with the middle half between $48,510 and $76,830. Employment is projected to grow +4.5% by 2034, with about 74,100 openings a year. State licensing requirements for this trade are being compiled and publish with sources per state.
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.
National wage distribution. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (SOC 47-2031)
Where the pay is
The gap between states is wide: Hawaii pays about 82% more than Oklahoma at the median. Cost of living closes part of that gap. In licensed states the credential itself also travels differently across borders, which changes what a move is worth.
| State | Median /yr |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $85,280 |
| Illinois | $79,000 |
| California | $75,920 |
| Massachusetts | $75,200 |
| Washington | $74,190 |
| ⋯ 40 states ⋯ | |
| Mississippi | $48,650 |
| Alabama | $48,220 |
| South Dakota | $48,140 |
| Arkansas | $47,760 |
| Oklahoma | $46,910 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Outlook to 2034
BLS projects employment moving from 959,000 in 2024 to 1,002,100 in 2034 (+4.5%). Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent. Annual openings run near 74,100. That figure counts both new positions and replacements for workers leaving the occupation, which is why it exceeds the growth number. The 2024 figure here is larger than the employment count in the summary above because these are two different BLS programs: the summary counts jobs surveyed at employers, while the projections program also counts the self-employed, and this trade has a lot of them.
Licensing
State licensing requirements for this trade are being compiled and publish with sources per state.
Price a credential with the license cost estimator, weigh training paths with the apprenticeship vs. school calculator, or set this trade against others in your state with the salary comparison.
Trades that pay similarly
HVAC Technician at $61,010, Diesel Mechanic at $61,770, CDL Truck Driver at $58,640, Electrician at $63,190. Full list on the trades index.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (SOC 47-2031) and Employment Projections 2024–2034.
- O*NET 30.1 occupation description (U.S. Department of Labor).
How figures are computed: methodology