Jetted FoxCareers · Carpentry & finish work
Carpenters
Build, install and repair wooden frames, walls, stairs, cabinets and trim. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $18.36/hr in West Virginia to $31.91/hr in Hawaii.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $16.55–19.43/hr | $23.18/hr |
| Alaska | $23.59–28.74/hr | $35.51/hr |
| Arizona | $18.67–23.02/hr | $28.17/hr |
| Arkansas | $17.50–19.93/hr | $22.96/hr |
| California | $22.83–28.72/hr | $36.50/hr |
| Colorado | $22.61–24.97/hr | $30.21/hr |
| Connecticut | $23.62–27.66/hr | $30.80/hr |
| Delaware | $21.71–23.35/hr | $28.46/hr |
| Florida | $17.75–21.41/hr | $23.98/hr |
| Georgia | $16.77–20.29/hr | $23.72/hr |
| Hawaii | $25.37–31.91/hr | $41/hr |
| Idaho | $17.72–21.76/hr | $25/hr |
| Illinois | $19.18–27/hr | $37.98/hr |
| Indiana | $21.88–24.01/hr | $30.23/hr |
| Iowa | $18.77–22.91/hr | $27.75/hr |
| Kansas | $18.68–22.99/hr | $27.39/hr |
| Kentucky | $17.67–22.09/hr | $25.33/hr |
| Louisiana | $16.40–21.03/hr | $24/hr |
| Maine | $22.66–25.46/hr | $29.88/hr |
| Maryland | $21.12–25.11/hr | $30.27/hr |
| Massachusetts | $23.19–29.21/hr | $36.16/hr |
| Michigan | $21.42–23.80/hr | $29.66/hr |
| Minnesota | $22.40–26.56/hr | $31.22/hr |
| Mississippi | $16.67–18.47/hr | $23.39/hr |
| Missouri | $18.60–22.85/hr | $29.25/hr |
| Montana | $20.68–23.84/hr | $28.28/hr |
| Nebraska | $18.71–21.77/hr | $24.19/hr |
| Nevada | $20.03–24.25/hr | $29.99/hr |
| New Hampshire | $21.87–24.12/hr | $29.42/hr |
| New Jersey | $21–24.63/hr | $30.77/hr |
| New Mexico | $19.28–22.67/hr | $28.71/hr |
| New York | $22.53–27.56/hr | $34.77/hr |
| North Carolina | $17.13–20.27/hr | $23.61/hr |
| North Dakota | $21.09–23.47/hr | $27.83/hr |
| Ohio | $20.33–23.42/hr | $29.24/hr |
| Oklahoma | $16.67–19.37/hr | $22.55/hr |
| Oregon | $21.06–24.26/hr | $30.23/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $20.66–23.01/hr | $28.54/hr |
| Rhode Island | $23–25.14/hr | $29.25/hr |
| South Carolina | $17.31–20.97/hr | $24.36/hr |
| South Dakota | $18.14–20.29/hr | $23.14/hr |
| Tennessee | $18.01–22.36/hr | $24.44/hr |
| Texas | $17.78–21.48/hr | $23.51/hr |
| Utah | $17.58–22.04/hr | $25.17/hr |
| Vermont | $23–25.12/hr | $30/hr |
| Virginia | $18.38–22.34/hr | $26.77/hr |
| Washington | $25.16–29.15/hr | $35.67/hr |
| Washington, DC | $23–27.48/hr | $29.67/hr |
| West Virginia | $17.26–18.36/hr | $23.42/hr |
| Wisconsin | $21.69–23.92/hr | $29.65/hr |
| Wyoming | $21.50–23.44/hr | $27.33/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
A normal day
You work on construction sites or in homes, measuring, cutting and nailing wood with power tools. You read plans and work with a crew.
The good parts
Paid apprenticeship. Good pay without a degree. Can start your own business.
The hard parts
Physical work that wears on your body. Outdoor work in all weather. Work slows in winter in some areas.
Where it leads
Set or exhibit designer (after 2–5 years of crew work). carpenters move up to journeyman, foreman, superintendent or contractor.
Quick answers
Do carpenters need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for carpenters?
3–4 year paid apprenticeship.
How much do carpenters make?
About $19.43–23.32 an hour to start and $29.12 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.