---
title: "Carpenter Salary: Pay Range by Experience | ShapeMyCareer"
description: "How much carpenters make: BLS May 2025 pay from the bottom 10 percent to the top 10 percent, hourly equivalents and the specialties that pay more."
url: https://shapemycareer.com/salary/carpenter/
updated: 2026-10-11
site: ShapeMyCareer
---

Trade pay · Carpenter

# Carpenter salary

From helper to foreman.

BLS wage data, May 2025

Here is the full pay spread for this trade, not just the middle number, along with the factors that push people toward the top.

In short

Carpenters earned a median $60,580 a year in May 2025, about $29 an hour, according to BLS. The bottom 10 percent earned under $40,410 and the top 10 percent over $99,910. New helpers start near the bottom. Commercial carpenters, union carpenters and those who run crews or do specialty finish work tend to earn more.

**Sources checked October 11, 2026** Pay, training and outlook come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay is the middle (median) figure nationally; your first paycheck in the trade will usually be lower.

Bottom 10% earn under**$40,410** about $19.43 an hour

Bottom quarter under**$48,510** about $23.32 an hour

Middle (median)**$60,580** about $29.12 an hour

Top quarter over**$76,830** about $36.94 an hour

Top 10% over**$99,910** about $48.03 an hour

Yearly wages for carpenters across the U.S., [BLS OEWS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/), May 2025. Hourly figures divide by 2,080 hours, so overtime is not counted. New apprentices usually sit near or below the bottom-quarter line.

| Middle pay | $60,580 a year, roughly $29.12 an hour (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| How most people start | High school or GED to start, then apprenticeship |
| People in the trade | About 889,700 nationwide (2025) |
| Growth to 2035 | BLS expects 3.9% growth |
| Openings a year | Around 62,800, counting retirements |

From the [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm) Employment Projections table (2025 to 2035) and May 2025 wage survey. These are U.S. numbers. Local shops may pay above or below them, and apprentices start well under the middle figure.

## What moves carpenter pay

- **Commercial vs residential:** commercial and industrial work often pays more.
- **Specialty:** formwork, finish and millwork skills command higher rates.
- **Union scale:** union carpenters have negotiated wages and benefits.
- **Running work:** foremen and superintendents earn above journeyman rates.

### See training for this trade

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## Straight answers

### How much do carpenters make an hour?

The median works out to about $29 an hour.

### Do carpenters make good money?

Experienced carpenters can earn well: the top 25 percent made more than $76,830 in May 2025.

### What carpenters make the most?

Commercial and union carpenters, specialists and those who supervise crews.

## Where this comes from

- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/)
- [Carpenters in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/carpenters.htm)
- [BLS OOH: Carpenters](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/carpenters.htm)
- [BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025 to 2035)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)

## Keep looking

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