Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
Click a state. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Carpenters (SOC 47-2031) employed 670,090 people in May 2025. The median pay is $60,580 a year ($29.12 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $40,410 and the highest-paid 10% more than $99,910. BLS projects its employment to change by +3.9% between 2025 and 2035 (about 62,800 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest median pay: Hawaii ($85,280), Illinois ($79,000), California ($75,920). Most jobs: California (100,750), New York (40,630), Florida (39,300).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,410 | $19.43 |
| 25th percentile | $48,510 | $23.32 |
| Median | $60,580 | $29.12 |
| Mean | $65,630 | $31.55 |
| 75th percentile | $76,830 | $36.94 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $99,910 | $48.03 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 889,700 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 924,700 |
| Change in jobs | 35,000 |
| Percent change | +3.9% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 62,800 |
| Self-employed share | 25.1% |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Apprenticeship |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 5,560 | 0.61 | $48,220 | $34,430 | $63,140 | -20% | 27% |
| Alaska | 2,560 | 1.82 | $73,860 | $49,060 | $151,530 | +22% | 23% |
| Arizona | 16,230 | 1.16 | $58,580 | $38,830 | $75,950 | -3% | 34% |
| Arkansas | 4,030 | 0.72 | $47,760 | $36,400 | $70,550 | -21% | 25% |
| California | 100,750 | 1.28 | $75,920 | $47,490 | $119,950 | +25% | 33% |
| Colorado | 12,740 | 1.03 | $62,830 | $47,020 | $90,740 | +4% | 35% |
| Connecticut | 5,160 | 0.71 | $64,060 | $49,140 | $88,000 | +6% | 29% |
| Delaware | 2,250 | 1.08 | $59,200 | $45,160 | $81,320 | -2% | 31% |
| District of Columbia | 1,540 | 0.51 | $61,710 | $47,840 | $80,720 | +2% | 38% |
| Florida | 39,300 | 0.92 | $49,870 | $36,910 | $69,950 | -18% | 44% |
| Georgia | 9,190 | 0.44 | $49,350 | $34,890 | $63,470 | -19% | 37% |
| Hawaii | 4,810 | 1.78 | $85,280 | $52,760 | $115,900 | +41% | 27% |
| Idaho | 8,380 | 2.27 | $52,000 | $36,850 | $75,710 | -14% | 32% |
| Illinois | 19,570 | 0.74 | $79,000 | $39,890 | $117,660 | +30% | 20% |
| Indiana | 15,240 | 1.10 | $62,870 | $45,510 | $90,700 | +4% | 21% |
| Iowa | 5,770 | 0.86 | $57,710 | $39,040 | $76,540 | -5% | 20% |
| Kansas | 5,210 | 0.84 | $56,960 | $38,860 | $88,090 | -6% | 23% |
| Kentucky | 8,540 | 0.99 | $52,680 | $36,760 | $72,960 | -13% | 23% |
| Louisiana | 8,990 | 1.08 | $49,920 | $34,100 | $69,310 | -18% | 26% |
| Maine | 5,170 | 1.87 | $62,160 | $47,130 | $78,240 | +3% | 23% |
| Maryland | 9,770 | 0.82 | $62,960 | $43,930 | $94,970 | +4% | 33% |
| Massachusetts | 18,540 | 1.18 | $75,200 | $48,230 | $122,880 | +24% | 29% |
| Michigan | 18,590 | 0.98 | $61,680 | $44,550 | $81,860 | +2% | 23% |
| Minnesota | 14,930 | 1.17 | $64,930 | $46,590 | $99,130 | +7% | 24% |
| Mississippi | 2,950 | 0.59 | $48,650 | $34,670 | $63,440 | -20% | 24% |
| Missouri | 14,410 | 1.14 | $60,840 | $38,700 | $96,310 | +0% | 21% |
| Montana | 4,030 | 1.83 | $58,820 | $43,010 | $77,140 | -3% | 24% |
| Nebraska | 5,710 | 1.29 | $50,320 | $38,920 | $72,800 | -17% | 26% |
| Nevada | 12,700 | 1.90 | $62,380 | $41,670 | $102,360 | +3% | 33% |
| New Hampshire | 3,760 | 1.28 | $61,200 | $45,500 | $92,410 | +1% | 31% |
| New Jersey | 14,230 | 0.77 | $64,010 | $43,680 | $121,490 | +6% | 34% |
| New Mexico | 3,630 | 0.97 | $59,720 | $40,100 | $77,790 | -1% | 22% |
| New York | 40,630 | 0.97 | $72,330 | $46,860 | $122,400 | +19% | 27% |
| North Carolina | 13,480 | 0.63 | $49,100 | $35,620 | $63,160 | -19% | 33% |
| North Dakota | 2,360 | 1.28 | $57,890 | $43,860 | $76,760 | -4% | 20% |
| Ohio | 18,450 | 0.77 | $60,810 | $42,290 | $81,140 | +0% | 22% |
| Oklahoma | 3,820 | 0.52 | $46,910 | $34,670 | $64,940 | -23% | 27% |
| Oregon | 15,110 | 1.78 | $62,870 | $43,800 | $106,360 | +4% | 30% |
| Pennsylvania | 30,630 | 1.17 | $59,370 | $42,970 | $92,110 | -2% | 25% |
| Rhode Island | 2,580 | 1.19 | $60,840 | $47,840 | $89,670 | +0% | 28% |
| South Carolina | 6,950 | 0.70 | $50,670 | $36,010 | $79,040 | -16% | 30% |
| South Dakota | 4,560 | 2.32 | $48,140 | $37,720 | $65,890 | -21% | 25% |
| Tennessee | 8,200 | 0.58 | $50,830 | $37,460 | $66,450 | -16% | 30% |
| Texas | 33,540 | 0.55 | $48,900 | $36,980 | $65,920 | -19% | 36% |
| Utah | 15,220 | 2.03 | $52,360 | $36,560 | $75,170 | -14% | 37% |
| Vermont | 3,080 | 2.35 | $62,400 | $47,840 | $76,850 | +3% | 25% |
| Virginia | 20,460 | 1.16 | $55,690 | $38,230 | $74,250 | -8% | 35% |
| Washington | 26,960 | 1.76 | $74,190 | $52,330 | $119,920 | +22% | 30% |
| West Virginia | 3,670 | 1.21 | $48,710 | $35,900 | $70,060 | -20% | 22% |
| Wisconsin | 13,880 | 1.09 | $61,660 | $45,110 | $93,040 | +2% | 22% |
| Wyoming | 2,260 | 1.87 | $56,850 | $44,710 | $80,800 | -6% | 21% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 3,120 | $94,310 | $53,860 | $115,470 | 1.62 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 14,010 | $89,200 | $59,020 | $132,760 | 1.37 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 650 | $84,430 | $48,660 | $100,270 | 1.60 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | 700 | $82,110 | $49,530 | $120,640 | 2.19 |
| Napa, CA | 650 | $80,590 | $54,870 | $133,250 | 1.95 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 2,150 | $80,520 | $51,070 | $121,490 | 2.43 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 14,220 | $80,440 | $41,220 | $118,450 | 0.73 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 4,460 | $80,190 | $55,210 | $133,860 | 0.91 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 700 | $77,690 | $48,220 | $114,300 | 1.65 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 820 | $77,220 | $48,460 | $128,350 | 1.56 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 14,970 | $76,410 | $58,090 | $123,750 | 1.67 |
| Vallejo, CA | 660 | $76,220 | $51,050 | $126,820 | 1.06 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 30,600 | $75,740 | $46,860 | $117,430 | 1.13 |
| Springfield, MA | 660 | $75,520 | $49,470 | $100,510 | 0.76 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | 360 | $75,390 | $39,990 | $98,850 | 1.20 |
| Peoria, IL | 780 | $75,280 | $42,440 | $105,440 | 1.09 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 12,720 | $75,210 | $48,820 | $124,190 | 1.09 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 1,100 | $75,140 | $46,980 | $105,640 | 1.27 |
| Merced, CA | 350 | $74,760 | $45,010 | $106,750 | 1.01 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 9,730 | $74,440 | $45,640 | $114,760 | 2.09 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 34,210 | $74,300 | $46,860 | $123,810 | 0.84 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 10,200 | $74,060 | $49,920 | $100,830 | 1.21 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 2,050 | $74,060 | $49,130 | $108,320 | 1.47 |
| Modesto, CA | 1,430 | $73,730 | $48,970 | $117,750 | 1.70 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 9,210 | $73,710 | $47,440 | $108,440 | 1.77 |
| Bellingham, WA | 950 | $73,260 | $50,950 | $118,510 | 2.41 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 8,710 | $73,200 | $47,310 | $117,580 | 1.31 |
| Worcester, MA | 1,590 | $73,010 | $46,450 | $106,800 | 1.06 |
| Anchorage, AK | 1,460 | $72,800 | $48,620 | $149,320 | 1.91 |
| Rockford, IL | 810 | $72,770 | $46,470 | $104,360 | 1.37 |
| Chico, CA | 390 | $72,290 | $47,290 | $116,130 | 1.16 |
| Redding, CA | 310 | $71,750 | $47,480 | $102,400 | 1.01 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 7,210 | $70,990 | $45,000 | $99,550 | 1.25 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 12,970 | $70,880 | $46,430 | $111,960 | 1.75 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 1,280 | $70,580 | $46,610 | $98,330 | 3.15 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 540 | $69,710 | $50,190 | $119,960 | 2.40 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 1,260 | $69,160 | $48,040 | $108,830 | 1.01 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 360 | $68,550 | $50,040 | $117,440 | 2.02 |
| Salinas, CA | 1,210 | $67,530 | $47,930 | $104,630 | 1.50 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 310 | $66,980 | $42,960 | $100,040 | 0.69 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 350 | $66,830 | $47,960 | $106,390 | 1.25 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 1,100 | $66,540 | $45,120 | $104,810 | 0.75 |
| Columbus, OH | 3,620 | $66,480 | $47,270 | $82,630 | 0.76 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 7,610 | $65,810 | $47,560 | $82,790 | 0.93 |
| New Haven, CT | 730 | $65,750 | $50,810 | $89,310 | 0.60 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 610 | $65,690 | $44,700 | $121,540 | 0.59 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 1,170 | $65,520 | $44,800 | $100,890 | 2.13 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 640 | $65,170 | $46,500 | $83,500 | 0.67 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 4,960 | $65,070 | $46,940 | $88,570 | 1.04 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 940 | $65,000 | $51,850 | $97,590 | 2.32 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 7,250 | $64,910 | $48,160 | $89,990 | 1.05 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1,660 | $64,770 | $48,940 | $98,980 | 0.64 |
| Evansville, IN | 790 | $64,690 | $45,950 | $79,120 | 1.35 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | 740 | $64,500 | $50,460 | $81,700 | 1.36 |
| Visalia, CA | 650 | $64,390 | $44,550 | $99,360 | 0.88 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 1,310 | $64,320 | $49,240 | $118,740 | 2.36 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 2,230 | $64,300 | $50,480 | $79,020 | 1.79 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 1,120 | $64,270 | $46,960 | $78,160 | 1.20 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 3,310 | $63,910 | $47,230 | $94,180 | 0.94 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 400 | $63,640 | $47,150 | $108,870 | 1.82 |
The median is $60,580 a year ($29.12 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $40,410 and the highest-paid tenth over $99,910 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
670,090 in May 2025, and BLS projects +3.9% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS).
Hawaii, with a median of $85,280 (among states with published figures).