Carpenters
Sign In
OverviewSalaryAboutEducationWhere are the jobsEmploymentGenderRace/Origin
Overview
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.
Explore Pathways
Titles for this career often contain these words
CarpenterBuilderInstallerSidingMechanicWoodWorkerRepairerAssemblerBoatSpecialistFormTankMakerFramerFramingDoorWindowApplicatorConstructionWeatherResidentialShipErectorAluminumBridgeCustomHangerSetterLayerGarageHardwoodFloorSetSignFinisherJoinerCabinetCarCeilerCompositionCooperStairFinishFlooringHouseInteriorLatherMetalStripperMoldPictureTrimmerSashSiderStageTrestleStripAsbestosAssembledProductsBeamBoatwrightBowlingAlleyFloorsBracerBraddisherBratticeBrickRepairCrewPersonBuildingCabinetmakerCanoeCarpentryCasketClosetWeatherboardApplierConcreteCounterCraterDockDoormakerEngineFlumeRaiserHammererHammermanHewerHogsheadInsidePanelerSystemsJalousiesJointerLaboratoryEquipmentLayOutMaintenanceMasonryMastTileMiniatureModelArtistMolderMoldingMotionSceneOverheadPanelPartitionPiledriverPlatformPoleFramePrefabricatedHousesProductionPropPrototypeRailcarRefinisherRoofRoughScaffoldScenerySheatherShinglerFitterShipwrightSparmakerRiggerStoppingStormStullSubassemblyTimberTimbermanTrimUnionVentilationWharfBoatbuilderWoodenWoodworker
Share
Fewer details
Responsibilities and activities

Carpenters typically do the following:

  • Follow blueprints and building plans to meet the needs of clients
  • Install structures and fixtures, such as windows and molding
  • Measure, cut, and shape wood, plastic, and other materials
  • Construct and install building frameworks, including walls, floors, and doorframes
  • Inspect and replace damaged framework or other structures and fixtures
  • Instruct and direct laborers and other construction helpers

Carpenters have many different tasks. Some carpenters insulate office buildings; others install drywall or kitchen cabinets in homes. Still others focus on production or commercial work to help construct tall buildings or bridges, installing wooden concrete forms for cement footings or pillars. These carpenters also erect shoring and scaffolding for buildings.

Carpenters use many different tools to cut and shape wood, plastic, fiberglass, or drywall. They use handtools, including squares, levels, and chisels, as well as many power tools, such as sanders, circular saws, nail guns, and welding machines. On large projects, carpenters may use rigging hardware and cranes as part of the installation process. Carpenters may also use smart phones, tablets, and other personal electronic devices to assist with planning, drafting, or other calculations. 

Carpenters fasten materials with nails, screws, staples, and adhesives and check their work to ensure that it is correct. They use tape measures or laser measures on nearly every project to quickly determine distances. Many employers require carpenters to supply their own tools on the job.

The following are examples of types of carpenters:

Construction carpenters construct, install, and repair structures and fixtures of wood, plywood, and wallboard, using carpenters’ handtools and power tools.

Rough carpenters build rough wooden structures, such as concrete forms; scaffolds; tunnel, bridge, or sewer supports; and temporary frame shelters, according to sketches, blueprints, or oral instructions.

Wood flooring installers put in a variety of materials, including plank, strip, end-grain, and parquet flooring. These wood products may be nailed in place or glued down. Floor sanders and finishers may smooth the flooring onsite or it may be prefinished prior to installation.

Salary
Median salary: $49,520 annually
Half of those employed in this career earn between $38,240 and $64,480.
$50K$0$20K$40K$60K$80K$100K
Context: Median Salary
How do salaries for this career compare to other jobs' salaries?
Fewer details
Salary growth for carpenters
Is this job likely to reward you for sticking with it through pay raises and promotions? The higher a job’s “experience quotient,” the more you are likely to get as you stay there.
Experience quotient percentile
Take a minute to look at how much you might expect your salary to increase with each five years' experience, as well as how the numbers working at each age change. Does this seem to be a job for the young or the old, or could it be a career offering steady salary growth for many years?
Salary distribution
$31K$41K$37K$40K$40K$32K$25K$41K$36K$0$20K$40K$60K$80K$100K20-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-64
Number employed
050K100K150K200K20-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-64
About Carpenters
How do benefits for this career compare to other jobs? The availability of health care, especially employer provided health care, and pension plans can add significantly to the value of compensation you receive in a career. These charts compare how this career compares to other careers with regard to health care and pension plans.
Employee has health insurance
Employer is providing health insurance
Employer-provided pension plan is available
Fewer details
Personality and skills
Can you see yourself in the ranks of Carpenters? Here are the skills and traits that could lead to success.
Business skills
Self-employed carpenters must conduct activities such as bidding on new jobs, tracking inventory, and directing workers.
Detail oriented
Carpenters must be able to precisely cut, measure, and modify the materials they work with.
Dexterity
Carpenters use many tools and need hand-eye coordination to avoid injuring themselves or damaging materials.
Interpersonal skills
Carpenters need to work as a member of a team, cooperating with and assisting others. They also may interact with customers. 
Math skills
Carpenters frequently use math skills, including basic trigonometry, to calculate the area, size, and amount of material needed for the job. 
Physical strength
Carpenters use heavy tools and materials that weigh up to 100 pounds. They also must be able to stand, climb, or bend for many hours.
Problem-solving skills
Carpenters may work independently with little guidance. They need to be able to modify building materials and make adjustments onsite to complete projects.
Reading comprehension skills
Carpenters need advanced reading ability to understand and follow complex instructions for installing certain products, such as doors.
Injury and Illness
About 189 carpenters become injured or ill for every 10,000 workers, making this job more dangerous than 92% of other careers. The most common specific illnesses or injuries are detailed following.
Fractures
Amputations
Chemical burns and corrosions
Education pathways to this career
Education attained by carpenters
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), carpenters typically hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
Sometimes the typical education identified by the BLS differs a bit from the reality of the how much education current workers actually have. The donut shows the education level held by people currently working as carpenters as reported in responses to the American Community Survey.
Details: Education and training recommended for carpenters

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to enter the occupation. Certain high school courses, such as mathematics and mechanical drawing, may be useful. Some vocational-technical schools offer associate’s degrees in carpentry. The programs vary in length and teach basics and specialties in carpentry.

Details: Licensing and certification recommended for carpenters

Carpenters may need a driver’s license to travel to jobsites.

Optional programs offer certification by specialty that may allow carpenters to find additional work opportunities or lead to career advancement. For example, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry offers various levels of certification for remodeling. The National Wood Flooring Association offers certification for installers, craftsman, and master craftsman.

Education level of Carpenters
Only 6% of carpenters have a bachelor's degree or higher.
Education attained by carpenters
None
High School
Some College
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Professional Degree
Doctorate
Fewer details
Programs recommended by the Department of Education
The Department of Education recommends the following college degree programs as preparation for this career. You can click the program row to learn more about the program and explore a list of schools that offer the program.
Program
Number of degrees awarded in 2018
Education
Education level of awarded degrees
Assoc./Cert.
Bachelor's
Graduate
Gender
Gender of graduates
Men
Women
Race/Origin
Race/origin of graduates
White
Minority
International
Where are the jobs
State-by-state employment numbers
Some careers tend to be centered in specific parts of the country. For example, most jobs in fashion are in New York or California. Let's see if your dream job is easy to find in your dream location! We have a few choices for viewing the data that can help you get a full employment picture.
Select a state to see local area details
Number of Carpenters per 1,000 workers (ACS)
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORUTWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICANVCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFLPR
Fewer details
Job density versus job count
Which states hire the most carpenters? We wonder if that's a fair question since states come in all sizes, so instead let's start with the question of which states have the highest density of people working as carpenters. You can choose to view the number of jobs per state if you prefer.
Salaries by state
Let's get a feel for where carpenters earn the highest salaries. There are several choices for which data we consider and how we view that data, and each can lead to different conclusions, so please read on...
Median salary versus state ratio
We use two methods to compare salaries across states:
  • In-state comparisons: the ratio of median (middle) salaries for carpenters compared to the median salary for all people working in each state, or
  • Median salary: the unaltered median salaries for carpenters.
We hope the ratio allows perspective about how salaries may compare to the regional cost-of-living.
The darkest shading corresponds to states in which carpenters earn the highest salary when compared to other jobs in the state. We think this figure might be a better indicator than the actual salary for your buying power as a state resident.
Select a state to see local area details
Location-adjusted median salary for Carpenters (ACS)
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORUTWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICANVCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFLPR
Employment
12% of Carpenters are working part time.
We’ve found that some jobs have a huge number of part-time workers, and typically that is because they are unable to find full-time work or the job itself can’t provide full-time hours. With 12% part-time workers, this occupation has a higher percentage of part-time workers than 48% of careers.
12%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Employer types
This donut shares the break-down of workers by employer type, giving us a picture of what employers most typically hire for this career.
Employers of undefined (ACS)
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit
Local government
State government
Federal government
Self-employed incorporated
Self-employed not incorporated
Working without pay
Fewer details
Distribution: Salaries of carpenters by type of employer
Here are the salary distributions based on employer type.
$35K$35K$32K$38K$43K$45K$42K$45K$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000$100,000Self-employed not incorporatedSelf-employed incorporatedFederal governmentState governmentLocal governmentPrivate not-for-profitPrivate for-profitAll
Gender
Carpenters and gender
With 2% women, this occupation has a lower percentage of women than 94% of careers.
Gender of Carpenters
Men (98%)
Women (2%)
Distribution: salaries by gender
Does gender greatly influence your salary in this career? The closer the bars are, the less discrepancy there is.
$29K$35K$0$100K$200K$300KWomenMen
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.
Fewer details
Context: Women in the workforce
How does this career compare to other careers with regard to the percentage of women in the career.
2%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Context: Salary inequity
The median (middle) salary for all full-time male workers in the US exceeds the full-time median salary for women by 19%, and the difference for carpenters tops that, with the median salary for men 21% higher than the median salary for women.
21%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Race/Origin
Race and origin of Carpenters
This donut shows the distribution of race and origin among those employed as Carpenters.
Race/origin of carpenters
White (78% )
Other (12% )
Black (5% )
Multiracial (2% )
Hispanic (2% )
Asian (1% )
American Indian (1% )
Pacific Islander (0% )
Distribution: salaries by race/origin
Some careers might have a pay disparity based on race or origin, the closer the below bars are the less of a discrepancy is present.
$31K$31K$31K$33K$33K$36K$39K$46K$0$20K$40K$60K$80KOtherHispanicAmerican IndianMultiracialBlackWhiteAsianPacific Islander
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.