SOC 47-2031.00

    Carpenters

    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.

    Median pay
    $60,580
    Growth
    +3.9%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    62,800
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $40,410
    Median
    $60,580
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $99,910
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    670,090 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Carpenters build, install, and repair structures made of wood and other materials, earning a median annual pay of $60,580. This large construction career offers steady employment with thousands of yearly job openings.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What carpenters do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    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.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    Carpenters engage in hands-on, physical work to construct building frameworks, stairways, concrete forms, and partitions. Their daily tasks involve handling and moving objects, operating specialized equipment, and inspecting materials and structures to ensure quality. To perform this work safely and accurately, they must identify structural details, gather project information, and monitor their surroundings.

    This profession belongs to the realistic interest area, requiring people who enjoy practical, physical activities. Success in this role relies on skills like active listening, coordination, critical thinking, and quality control analysis. Carpenters apply knowledge of building and construction, mathematics, design, and public safety. Key work styles for this job include dependability, attention to detail, cautiousness, and perseverance.

    How to get there

    To enter this career, workers typically need a high school diploma. The occupation is classified under O*NET Job Zone 2, meaning it requires some preparation, which often includes on-the-job training or previous work experience. Students interested in this field can pursue college majors specifically in carpentry.

    While starting out requires basic preparation, professionals can earn various certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Examples of these credentials include the Certified Lead Carpenter from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the Certified Craftsman from the National Wood Flooring Association, and the Adhesive Anchor Installer from the American Concrete Institute International. Additionally, some states list a license for this work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for carpenters was $60,580. Earnings vary based on experience and location, with the lowest 10 percent of workers earning less than $40,410 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $99,910.

    With 670,090 people employed in this field, it is a major occupation. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 3.9 percent, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth and normal turnover are expected to result in 62,800 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    96 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    15 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    20 / 100
    Social (S)
    15 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    13 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    41 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCA. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    80
    Getting Information
    78
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    77
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    77
    Handling and Moving Objects
    76
    Performing General Physical Activities
    75
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    73
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    71
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    68
    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    66
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Monitoring
    • Coordination
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Active Learning
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Building and Construction
    • Administration and Management
    • Mathematics
    • Design
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Mechanical
    • Education and Training
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Physics

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Visualization
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Near Vision
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Trunk Strength
    • Far Vision

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Perseverance
    • Integrity
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Self-Confidence
    • Adaptability
    • Initiative

    Also called

    Aluminum Siding Applicator · Aluminum Siding Installer · Aluminum Siding Mechanic · Assembled Wood Products Repairer · Beam Builder · Boat Carpenter · Boat Carpenter Mechanic · Bowling Alley Floors Installer · Bracer · Brandisher

    Career pathway

    From your interests to carpenters

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Carpenters$60,580 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      Ivy Tech Community College

      Indianapolis, IN · Carpenters · Associate

      1 yr after
      $69,108
      4 yrs after
      $69,442
      Median debt
      $5,500
    2. 2Ranken Technical College logo
      Ranken Technical College

      Saint Louis, MO · Carpenters · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $48,574
      Median debt
      $12,000
    3. 3Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology logo
      Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

      Lancaster, PA · Carpenters · Associate

      1 yr after
      $40,393
      4 yrs after
      $46,433
      Median debt
      $11,000
    4. 4
      SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

      Delhi, NY · Carpenters · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $45,162
      Median debt
      $12,000

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What carpenters may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work. Showing 12 of 13.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Carpentry/Carpenter

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    5 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about carpenters

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for carpenters?

    People in this occupation may also be called an Aluminum Siding Applicator, Aluminum Siding Installer, Aluminum Siding Mechanic, Assembled Wood Products Repairer, Beam Builder, Boat Carpenter, Boat Carpenter Mechanic, Bowling Alley Floors Installer, Bracer, or Brandisher.

    What certifications can a carpenter earn?

    Carpenters can obtain credentials such as the Certified Lead Carpenter, Certified Craftsman, Certified Installer - Bronze, Certified Installer - Silver, Certified Installer and Sand & Finisher, or the Adhesive Anchor Installer.

    What other careers are similar to carpentry?

    Related careers in the construction and fabrication fields include Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, Structural Iron and Steel Workers, Brickmasons and Blockmasons, Sheet Metal Workers, Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters, and Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.