Carpenter's Salary Per Year

Carpenters build decorative pieces like crown molding in homes and buildings.

There were 620,410 carpenters working in the United States in 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These workers primarily build wooden structures for homes and commercial buildings, including framework, rafters, joists and basement steps. Some may even construct and repair cabinets or drywall. Carpenters usually learn their trade through three or four-year apprenticeship programs. They must be 18 to become apprentices. Companies typically pay them by the hour.

Average Salary and Benefits

Carpenters earned average hourly wages of $21.10, or $43,890 annually, according to a May 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics' report. Their wages are often contingent upon experience, the geographical areas where they work and the size and budgets of their employers or companies. Nineteen percent of these workers belong to unions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These workers are usually eligible for benefits such as hospital and life insurance, paid holidays and vacations and pensions and other retirement plans.

Salary by Industry

Carpenters' wages can vary significantly by industry. Workers in the electric power generation and distribution industry earned the highest hourly wages at $30.16, or $62,730 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Carpenters in the motion picture and video industry, who often build movies sets for directors, also earned comparatively high wages of $29.52 per hour, or $61,400 annually. Workers who are hired to build commercial buildings, offices or hospitals earned above-average wages of $23.19 per hour, or $48,230 per year. Those in the homebuilding industry actually earned slightly below the national average at $19.72 per hour, or $41,010 per year.

Salary by Metropolitan Area

Carpenters' salaries are also higher in certain metropolitan areas. Higher living costs may cause some employers to pay higher wages in some regions. Companies may also pay more if their area suffers from a dearth of these workers. Carpenters earned the highest wages in the Honolulu, Hawaii metropolitan area at $33.10 per hour, or $68,850 annually, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics' information. Workers made nearly as much in the Fairbanks, Alaska area at $33.08 per hour, or $68,800 per year. Those in Salinas, California also earned relatively high hourly wages of $30.66, or $63,780 per year. Carpenters earned closer to average wages of $20.65, or $42,950 per year, in the Glen Falls, New York area. And workers in the Morgantown, West Virginia area earned considerably less at $13.46 per hour, or $28,000 per year.

Job Outlook

The number of jobs for carpenters is expected to increase 13 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to December 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This rate of growth is about average compared to other fields or careers. Much of the employment growth will be spurred by increases in population. Demand for these workers will continue to be strong in the remodeling market as well. New positions will also be contingent on federal funds allocated in specific cities and states.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Career Guide to Industries, 2010-11 Edition: Carpenters; December 2009
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics: Carpenters; May 2010
• StateUniversity.com: Carpenter Job Description, Career as a Carpenter, Salary, Employment
• CareerPlanner.com: "Construction Carpenter" Job Description and Jobs