Rough, finish and commercial carpentry
"Carpenter" covers very different jobs. Rough carpenters build the structure: wall and floor framing, roof frames, concrete forms, scaffolds and temporary supports for tunnels, bridges or sewers. Finish carpenters work on what people see: cabinets, doors, windows, molding, stairs and hardwood floors. Common job titles reflect that range, from rough carpenter, form carpenter and bridge carpenter to finish carpenter, maintenance carpenter and cabinet maker.
The setting changes the job as much as the specialty. In commercial construction, carpenters help build tall buildings and bridges, install wooden forms for concrete footings and pillars, and erect shoring and scaffolding, sometimes using rigging hardware and cranes. In homes, they frame new houses, install drywall and kitchen cabinets, or handle remodels. Many carpenters move between these over a career.
The toolkit is broad. Carpenters use hand tools such as squares, levels and chisels and power tools such as sanders, circular saws, nail guns and even welding machines. Tape measures or laser measures come out on nearly every project, and many carpenters now use smartphones and tablets for planning, drafting and calculations.
Who employs carpenters
Carpenters hold 889,700 jobs. The single largest group is the self-employed, at 25%. After that come residential building construction (23%), building finishing contractors (13%), nonresidential building construction (12%) and foundation, structure and building exterior contractors (10%). That mix explains why many carpenters work for several employers over the years, moving from crew to crew as projects end, and why going independent is common.
Population growth is expected to drive more new-home construction and some new jobs, along with factories and other nonresidential buildings. At the same time, modular and prefabricated components, from walls and roofs to entire buildings made in a factory and assembled on site, reduce the need for carpenters to build structures from scratch. Most of the 62,800 openings projected each year will come from replacing carpenters who retire or leave the trade.
Where the jobs and the pay are
California dominates, with 100,750 carpenter jobs, a median wage of $75,920 and a location quotient of 1.28. New York follows (40,630 jobs, median $72,330), then Florida (39,300, median $49,870), Texas (33,540, median $48,900) and Pennsylvania (30,630, median $59,370). The highest medians are in Hawaii ($85,280), Illinois ($79,000) and California. The gap between states is large: a carpenter in Hawaii earns a median about $36,000 more than one in Texas, though living costs differ too.
Nationally, the middle half earn between $48,510 and $76,830. Official statistics give no pay data by years of experience, but specialty skills, supervisory roles and running your own business are the usual ways to move toward the top 10%, who earn more than $99,910.
How to get in and what employers look for
The main routes are an apprenticeship or learning on the job, usually after high school. Apprenticeships are sponsored by unions and contractor associations and typically take about 4 years; each year combines technical training with paid work, and requirements differ by program and region. Find openings through apprenticeship.gov, your state apprenticeship agency, local contractors or local union-management carpenter apprenticeship committees. Apprentices may also get specialized training in creating and setting concrete forms, rigging, welding, scaffold building and working in confined spaces, skills that lead toward commercial and heavy construction. Some people start as construction laborers or helpers, and some vocational-technical schools offer associate degrees in carpentry.
Employers look for completed OSHA 10-hour safety training, which carpenters are generally expected to have and some states, unions and employers make mandatory, plus evidence that you can read blueprints, measure accurately and use tools safely. A driver's license and reliable transportation matter because jobsites move. Many employers expect you to bring your own tools. If you plan to work for yourself, basic bookkeeping software skills, such as QuickBooks, help with bids and invoices.
The honest downsides
Carpentry is hard on the body. You handle materials of up to 100 pounds, stand, climb, kneel and work in cramped spaces, and injuries from overexertion, falls, slips and contact with equipment are common. Outdoor work means heat, cold and rain, and bad weather can cut hours or push work into evenings and weekends to meet deadlines. Construction work rises and falls with building activity, so gaps between projects happen, especially for the self-employed. Buying and replacing your own tools is a real cost. The trade-off is a skill that pays well in many states and can become your own business.