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Carpenter Training and Jobs


Schools and Degrees

These professionals may start their formal training right from the time they are in high school. There they learn things like blueprint reading and mechanical drawing. Then they are expected to begin an apprenticeship. These programs typically last for 3-4 years. They may also join a vocational school or a community college to obtain training. They may obtain optional certification in fields like high torque bolting or scaffold building.

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Training and Education

You'll generally want long-term on-the-job training for this career path. Of current carpenters, 6% graduated from college with degrees. Some 22% of workers attened college but did not go on to get a bachelor's degree. A high school education was sufficient for 73% of employees.


Job Overview

Carpenters are responsible for making, installing, and repairing structures that are made of wood and similar materials. They undertake projects ranging from the installation of cabinets in kitchens to assisting in the building of bridges and highways.


Job Requirements

Wood working professionals have to possess good hand-eye coordination skills, a sense of balance, manual dexterity, and physical fitness to be able to accomplish their tasks.

Along with the formal training that they receive, these professionals can also increase their employment opportunities by ensuring that they maintain a good work record. Carpenters who have worked with the armed forces are often preferred by employers.


Nature of Work

Essentially the tasks of wood workers consist of measuring and working with materials such as wood, fiberglass, plastic, or drywall using tools like drills, saws, chisels, planes, and sanders. They follow the plans given in blueprints to make the structures with the help of adhesives, staples, screws, and nails. After the structure is made, they check it with plumb bobs, levels, rules, and framing squares.

These trade professionals work in both indoor and outdoor settings. They make doors, windows, tables, chairs, and other furniture for offices and homes. They may be involved in the construction of tunnel bracing in mines and underground passageways.

Tradespeople often have to do strenuous work. They may have to stand and bend for prolonged hours. They may also work with sharp and rough materials. This makes them vulnerable to non-fatal injuries, something common in the buiding trades.


Area Job Conditions

Finding carpenters is easiest in Punta Gorda (Florida), Vallejo (California), and Billings (Montana), and by comparison more challenging in El Centro (California), Jackson (Tennessee), and Sherman (Texas).

The pay is best in Lawrence (Massachusetts), Chicago (Illinois), and Atlantic City (New Jersey) and worst in Florence (South Carolina), Brownsville (Texas), and McAllen (Texas).


Part-Time and Self Employment

Carpenters working part-time accounted for 6% of those employed in 2008. Self-employed workers represent an estimated 32% of the total.


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Carpenters by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anniston $33,000 150 -18%
Auburn $26,000 230 +30%
Birmingham $35,000 1,880 -17%
Decatur $34,000 250 +15%
Dothan $32,000 150 -37%
Florence $41,000 250 +19%
Gadsden 60 -56%
Huntsville $31,000 530 -43%
Mobile $34,000 1,060 +36%
Montgomery $31,000 660 -8%
Tuscaloosa $34,000 540 +41%

Alaska

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anchorage $60,000 1,670 +126%
Fairbanks $69,000 400 +222%

Arizona

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Flagstaff $40,000 240 +5%
Kingman $41,000 150 -21%
Phoenix $40,000 9,340 +15%
Prescott $45,000 310 +41%
Tucson $40,000 2,710 +74%
Yuma $33,000 270 +20%

Arkansas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Fayetteville $34,000 550 -39%
Fort Smith $33,000 260 -51%
Hot Springs $30,000 120 -15%
Jonesboro $32,000 80 -57%
Little Rock $34,000 1,420 -10%

California

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bakersfield $50,000 780 -34%
Chico $42,000 180 -38%
El Centro $43,000 70 -65%
Fresno $43,000 1,350 -7%
Hanford $55,000 50 -62%
Los Angeles $51,000 10,810 -42%
Madera $45,000 90 -27%
Merced $50,000 140 -40%
Modesto $45,000 650 -5%
Napa $56,000 470 +82%
Oakland $61,000 6,050 +31%
Oxnard $46,000 1,180 -12%
Redding $41,000 390 +59%
Riverside $52,000 7,870 +41%
Sacramento $56,000 4,700 +17%
Salinas $64,000 710 +1%
San Diego $52,000 5,540 -9%
San Francisco $67,000 5,360 +17%
San Jose $60,000 2,740 -34%
San Luis Obispo $56,000 610 +54%
Santa Ana $53,000 7,260 +8%
Santa Barbara $55,000 760 +2%
Santa Cruz $64,000 460 +25%
Santa Rosa $59,000 1,170 +52%
Stockton $53,000 890 -5%
Vallejo $57,000 890 +71%
Visalia $37,000 330 -44%
Yuba City $47,000 160 +7%

Colorado

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Boulder $42,000 620 -8%
Colorado Springs $40,000 1,230 +8%
Denver $40,000 6,400 +11%
Fort Collins $40,000 720 +32%
Grand Junction $42,000 240 +3%
Greeley $35,000 310 +2%
Pueblo $42,000 250 +8%

Connecticut

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bridgeport $51,000 1,140 -42%
Danbury $50,000 230 -19%
Hartford $54,000 1,800 -32%
New Haven $50,000 1,110 -10%
Norwich $49,000 750 +41%
Waterbury $47,000 200 -29%

Delaware

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Dover $37,000 200 -4%
Wilmington $47,000 1,290 -13%

District of Columbia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Washington $45,000 9,590 -15%

Florida

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Cape Coral $38,000 1,600 +86%
Deltona $31,000 830 +23%
Fort Lauderdale $40,000 3,310 +3%
Fort Walton Beach $35,000 350 +9%
Gainesville $32,000 380 -28%
Jacksonville $36,000 2,360 -15%
Lakeland $32,000 700 -17%
Miami $35,000 2,200 -51%
Naples $39,000 810 +68%
Ocala $31,000 430 +16%
Orlando $34,000 5,190 +11%
Palm Bay $33,000 950 +8%
Palm Coast $36,000 130 +126%
Panama City $34,000 350 +22%
Pensacola $34,000 610 -7%
Port St Lucie $40,000 760 +47%
Punta Gorda $35,000 290 +89%
Sarasota $35,000 1,170 +6%
Sebastian $41,000 270 +42%
Tallahassee $33,000 420 -41%
Tampa $36,000 3,860 -27%
West Palm Beach $39,000 1,710 -28%

Georgia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albany $33,000 150 -41%
Athens $39,000 190 -36%
Atlanta $39,000 6,720 -37%
Augusta $37,000 1,040 +13%
Brunswick $34,000 180 +11%
Columbus $32,000 460 -4%
Dalton $28,000 220 -22%
Gainesville $41,000 210 -28%
Macon $34,000 180 -53%
Rome $33,000 90 -34%
Savannah $40,000 670 +2%
Valdosta $30,000 160 -20%
Warner Robins $36,000 100 -54%

Hawaii

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Honolulu $69,000 3,450 +72%

Idaho

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Boise $38,000 1,700 +44%
Coeur Dalene $35,000 630 +208%
Idaho Falls $29,000 360 +92%
Lewiston $39,000 120 +39%
Pocatello $33,000 200 +73%

Illinois

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bloomington $56,000 390 +33%
Champaign $53,000 640 +46%
Chicago $57,000 17,750 +2%
Danville $33,000 120 +16%
Decatur $41,000 400 +120%
Kankakee $50,000 110 -32%
Peoria $54,000 1,270 +68%
Rockford $60,000 920 +49%
Springfield $41,000 460 -1%

Indiana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anderson $36,000 220 +48%
Bloomington $41,000 390 +34%
Columbus $42,000 180 +21%
Elkhart $37,000 1,080 +132%
Evansville $38,000 940 +24%
Fort Wayne $38,000 1,090 +20%
Gary $44,000 1,600 +32%
Indianapolis $43,000 3,340 -19%
Kokomo $49,000 70 -54%
Lafayette $39,000 310 -2%
Michigan City $56,000 180 +11%
Muncie $40,000 140 -23%
South Bend $42,000 450 -20%
Terre Haute $44,000 330 +17%

Iowa

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Ames $39,000 260 +79%
Cedar Rapids $40,000 720 +18%
Davenport $42,000 800 -4%
Des Moines $38,000 1,860 +24%
Dubuque $38,000 280 +29%
Iowa City $37,000 400 +36%
Sioux City $37,000 350 +15%
Waterloo $34,000 390 +7%

Kansas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lawrence $39,000 330 +92%
Manhattan $35,000 360 +70%
Topeka $38,000 490 +3%
Wichita $35,000 1,020 -22%

Kentucky

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bowling Green $39,000 210 -7%
Elizabethtown $36,000 190 +7%
Lexington $37,000 970 -10%
Louisville $36,000 2,850 +2%
Owensboro $29,000 330 +74%

Louisiana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Alexandria $32,000 400 +51%
Baton Rouge $39,000 3,620 +113%
Houma $38,000 600 +48%
Lafayette $39,000 630 +0%
Lake Charles $39,000 790 +111%
Monroe $32,000 300 -7%
New Orleans $38,000 2,610 +7%
Shreveport $35,000 990 +24%

Maine

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bangor $32,000 260 +3%
Lewiston $35,000 150 -26%
Portland $38,000 1,010 +13%

Maryland

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Baltimore $43,000 5,470 -10%
Bethesda $47,000 2,920 +10%
Cumberland $37,000 130 -10%
Hagerstown $38,000 460 +11%
Salisbury $36,000 240 +10%

Massachusetts

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Barnstable Town $52,000 1,020 +139%
Boston $59,000 6,000 -26%
Brockton $52,000 350 -9%
Framingham $61,000 690 -4%
Haverhill $49,000 430 +24%
Lawrence $57,000 280 +14%
Leominster $43,000 250 +25%
Lowell $52,000 420 -20%
New Bedford $46,000 310 +16%
Peabody $55,000 300 -31%
Pittsfield $46,000 210 +68%
Springfield $57,000 840 -38%
Taunton $46,000 190 +6%
Worcester $46,000 670 -41%

Michigan

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Ann Arbor $49,000 520 -30%
Battle Creek $38,000 120 -43%
Bay City $33,000 60 -52%
Detroit $49,000 1,280 -58%
Flint $40,000 350 -38%
Grand Rapids $39,000 1,520 -12%
Holland $36,000 450 +9%
Jackson $45,000 120 -39%
Kalamazoo $39,000 490 -18%
Lansing $49,000 750 -15%
Monroe $46,000 60 -58%
Muskegon $38,000 170 -25%
Niles $38,000 200 -16%
Saginaw $42,000 170 -51%
Warren $46,000 2,730 -45%

Minnesota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Duluth $45,000 710 +25%
Mankato $39,000 250 +9%
Minneapolis $51,000 6,810 -18%
Rochester $46,000 400 -9%
St Cloud $38,000 560 +37%

Mississippi

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Gulfport $34,000 580 +25%
Hattiesburg $28,000 270 +15%
Jackson $28,000 820 -28%
Pascagoula $35,000 470 +154%

Missouri

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Cape Girardeau $36,000 340 +91%
Columbia $39,000 680 +101%
Jefferson City $45,000 370 +19%
Joplin $33,000 320 -4%
Kansas City $47,000 4,130 -12%
Springfield $34,000 1,050 +23%
St Joseph $38,000 250 +22%
St Louis $52,000 8,170 +32%

Montana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Billings $35,000 800 +125%
Great Falls $36,000 310 +116%
Missoula $32,000 440 +107%

Nebraska

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lincoln $35,000 1,050 +48%
Omaha $35,000 2,470 +14%

Nevada

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Carson City $43,000 140 +43%
Las Vegas $60,000 7,570 +93%
Reno $48,000 920 +8%

New Hampshire

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Manchester $43,000 330 -26%
Nashua $45,000 370 -38%
Portsmouth $41,000 310 +32%

New Jersey

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Atlantic City $60,000 750 +18%
Camden $47,000 1,900 -21%
Edison $52,000 4,250 -11%
Newark $61,000 4,930 +7%
Ocean City $43,000 400 +146%
Trenton $54,000 920 -10%
Vineland $42,000 260 +5%

New Mexico

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albuquerque $39,000 2,140 +22%
Farmington $36,000 310 +55%
Las Cruces $31,000 310 +17%
Santa Fe $36,000 400 +56%

New York

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albany $46,000 2,120 +3%
Binghamton $39,000 410 -16%
Buffalo $41,000 2,900 +14%
Elmira $38,000 170 +14%
Glens Falls $43,000 560 +164%
Ithaca $41,000 240 +48%
Kingston $43,000 250 +1%
Nassau $59,000 11,080 +89%
New York $59,000 25,000 +4%
Poughkeepsie $45,000 1,580 +42%
Rochester $39,000 2,060 -11%
Syracuse $37,000 1,910 +34%
Utica $38,000 760 +40%

North Carolina

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Asheville $33,000 1,300 +65%
Burlington $30,000 170 -27%
Charlotte $34,000 2,350 -41%
Durham $35,000 640 -49%
Fayetteville $31,000 360 -35%
Goldsboro $32,000 150 -6%
Greensboro $31,000 970 -40%
Greenville $30,000 270 -4%
Hickory $33,000 430 -34%
Jacksonville $42,000 200 +18%
Raleigh $35,000 1,740 -27%
Rocky Mount $28,000 290 +22%
Wilmington $36,000 540 -10%
Winston Salem $33,000 660 -30%

North Dakota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bismarck $32,000 670 +148%
Fargo $34,000 640 +20%
Grand Forks $34,000 370 +91%

Ohio

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Akron $45,000 900 -38%
Canton $40,000 700 -5%
Cincinnati $40,000 4,190 -11%
Cleveland $43,000 4,170 -12%
Columbus $41,000 2,470 -42%
Dayton $42,000 1,090 -38%
Lima $33,000 190 -10%
Mansfield $37,000 240 +14%
Sandusky $40,000 170 +26%
Springfield $35,000 120 -38%
Steubenville $39,000 280 +70%
Toledo $44,000 1,180 -12%
Youngstown $41,000 870 -15%

Oklahoma

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lawton $31,000 130 -19%
Oklahoma City $32,000 2,580 -3%
Tulsa $31,000 1,920 -3%

Oregon

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bend $38,000 560 +115%
Corvallis $45,000 110 +8%
Eugene $44,000 740 +20%
Medford $44,000 250 -23%
Portland $46,000 6,500 +37%
Salem $44,000 1,070 +63%

Pennsylvania

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Allentown $48,000 1,650 +4%
Altoona $27,000 520 +108%
Erie $36,000 630 +12%
Harrisburg $40,000 1,380 -5%
Johnstown $36,000 350 +52%
Lancaster $37,000 2,460 +132%
Lebanon $40,000 360 +98%
Philadelphia $52,000 10,120 +14%
Pittsburgh $42,000 6,690 +26%
Reading $42,000 1,040 +41%
Scranton $36,000 1,560 +32%
State College $37,000 500 +93%
Williamsport $34,000 310 +48%
York $43,000 1,340 +71%

Rhode Island

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Providence $45,000 3,530 +38%

South Carolina

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anderson $37,000 150 -35%
Charleston $37,000 1,330 +2%
Columbia $33,000 910 -43%
Florence $31,000 180 -46%
Greenville $33,000 1,190 -13%
Myrtle Beach $34,000 470 0%
Spartanburg $33,000 310 -38%
Sumter $30,000 110 -13%

South Dakota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Rapid City $31,000 770 +192%
Sioux Falls $33,000 1,180 +93%

Tennessee

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Chattanooga $34,000 640 -38%
Clarksville $35,000 290 -12%
Cleveland $32,000 100 -25%
Jackson $37,000 140 -42%
Johnson City $28,000 200 -34%
Kingsport $32,000 690 +31%
Knoxville $35,000 1,630 +7%
Memphis $34,000 1,380 -51%
Nashville $36,000 2,460 -28%

Texas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Abilene $32,000 130 -50%
Amarillo $38,000 250 -46%
Austin $33,000 2,240 -38%
Beaumont $41,000 660 -7%
Brownsville $26,000 230 -60%
College Station $33,000 180 -54%
Corpus Christi $30,000 560 -29%
Dallas $32,000 5,660 -42%
El Paso $24,000 1,140 -8%
Fort Worth $31,000 2,480 -38%
Houston $34,000 8,710 -29%
Killeen $31,000 570 +1%
Laredo $27,000 170 -49%
Longview $34,000 280 -32%
Lubbock $31,000 310 -44%
Mcallen $23,000 320 -69%
Midland $35,000 240 -8%
Odessa $34,000 170 -27%
San Angelo $32,000 130 -21%
San Antonio $32,000 3,170 -21%
Sherman $26,000 80 -51%
Texarkana $32,000 190 -14%
Tyler $32,000 280 -27%
Victoria $37,000 110 -43%
Waco $29,000 210 -51%
Wichita Falls $33,000 90 -60%

Utah

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Logan $33,000 320 +68%
Ogden $36,000 980 +10%
Provo $40,000 1,400 +85%
Salt Lake City $39,000 3,550 +27%
St George $33,000 390 +113%

Vermont

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Burlington $40,000 790 +63%

Virginia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Blacksburg $32,000 370 +48%
Charlottesville $39,000 800 +118%
Danville $28,000 230 +72%
Harrisonburg $36,000 480 +110%
Lynchburg $33,000 450 +6%
Richmond $38,000 2,350 -17%
Roanoke $32,000 850 +24%
Virginia Beach $39,000 3,610 +3%
Winchester $38,000 300 +50%

Washington

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bellingham $55,000 760 +146%
Bremerton $51,000 580 +65%
Kennewick $40,000 890 +107%
Longview $55,000 250 +96%
Mount Vernon $48,000 440 +149%
Olympia $47,000 510 +20%
Seattle $52,000 10,340 +59%
Spokane $47,000 1,280 +40%
Tacoma $53,000 2,250 +88%
Wenatchee $42,000 320 +110%
Yakima $41,000 480 +36%

West Virginia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Charleston $39,000 770 +20%
Huntington $37,000 890 +80%
Morgantown $28,000 700 +223%
Parkersburg $30,000 600 +112%
Wheeling $32,000 300 +11%

Wisconsin

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Appleton $38,000 730 +47%
Eau Claire $39,000 340 +10%
Fond $38,000 320 +89%
Green Bay $42,000 1,140 +53%
Janesville $42,000 450 +72%
La Crosse $37,000 370 +23%
Madison $42,000 2,080 +35%
Milwaukee $50,000 3,090 -20%
Oshkosh 680 +82%
Racine $44,000 280 -10%
Sheboygan $46,000 290 +27%
Wausau $38,000 460 +67%

Wyoming

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Casper $41,000 260 +83%
Cheyenne $41,000 420 +150%
*FOOTNOTES: Job Facts salary and numbers data is based on US Department of Labor Statistics data for 2011. Other data on page may be from earlier years. Typical salary is given as median salary, where 50% in the job make more and 50% less. Salary range is Job Hunt's estimates of typical starting salary as being at the 10th percentile of reported pay and typical top end salary, for the most senior workers, as being at the 90th. Job openings is an estimate of new jobs every year due to growth plus those leaving the field. Where NA is given data is not available. Suggested studies is based on Job Hunt research, suggesting a minimum degree level that is judged to offer the best opportunities for entry-level employment. This Carpenters schools and career page was originally researched by CityTownInfo.com.