Research Summary. Through comprehensive analysis conducted by the Zippia data science team, we have compiled the latest insights on carpenter salaries by state in the United States for 2026:
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New Jersey boasts the highest carpenter salary at $56,881
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West Virginia offers the lowest carpenter salary at $31,616
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The national average carpenter salary is $41,748
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The national hourly wage for carpenters is $20.07
For detailed insights, you can explore our specific methodology.
Background
Consistently, surveys indicate that salary remains the top priority for job seekers across various demographics. The pressing question is: how much do carpenters earn in my area?
Numerous factors influence individual earnings, but robust data exists on average salaries for carpenters by state and seniority level. While local conditions may vary from state averages, these figures provide a general expectation for salary potential.
New Jersey stands out as the state with the highest salary for carpenters.
Here’s an overview of the top ten states for carpenter salaries:
Let’s delve into the factors contributing to these findings and provide a comprehensive ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Carpenters By State
| Rank | State | Average Carpenter Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $56,881 | $40,000 | $80,000 |
| 2 | New York | $54,890 | $39,000 | $77,000 |
| 3 | California | $54,669 | $39,000 | $75,000 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $53,424 | $37,000 | $75,000 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $52,926 | $37,000 | $73,000 |
| 6 | Washington | $49,429 | $38,000 | $62,000 |
| 7 | Maryland | $47,866 | $34,000 | $66,000 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $47,858 | $34,000 | $67,000 |
| 9 | Nevada | $47,780 | $34,000 | $65,000 |
| 10 | Vermont | $47,363 | $34,000 | $65,000 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $45,963 | $33,000 | $63,000 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $44,829 | $31,000 | $62,000 |
| 13 | Delaware | $44,364 | $31,000 | $62,000 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $43,659 | $34,000 | $54,000 |
| 15 | Alaska | $43,465 | $37,000 | $49,000 |
| 16 | Ohio | $43,195 | $31,000 | $58,000 |
| 17 | Illinois | $43,150 | $32,000 | $57,000 |
| 18 | Virginia | $42,778 | $30,000 | $59,000 |
| 19 | Arizona | $42,741 | $31,000 | $58,000 |
| 20 | Missouri | $42,589 | $32,000 | $55,000 |
| 21 | Oregon | $41,917 | $32,000 | $54,000 |
| 22 | Maine | $41,908 | $30,000 | $57,000 |
| 23 | Colorado | $41,482 | $32,000 | $53,000 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $41,089 | $31,000 | $53,000 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $40,966 | $32,000 | $52,000 |
| 26 | Indiana | $39,274 | $29,000 | $52,000 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $39,089 | $29,000 | $52,000 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $39,027 | $29,000 | $51,000 |
| 29 | Georgia | $38,695 | $29,000 | $51,000 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $38,691 | $29,000 | $50,000 |
| 31 | Michigan | $38,577 | $28,000 | $52,000 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $38,262 | $29,000 | $48,000 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $38,211 | $28,000 | $50,000 |
| 34 | Florida | $37,715 | $28,000 | $50,000 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $37,660 | $28,000 | $49,000 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $37,098 | $27,000 | $49,000 |
| 37 | Montana | $36,895 | $29,000 | $46,000 |
| 38 | Texas | $36,825 | $27,000 | $49,000 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $36,208 | $27,000 | $47,000 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $35,878 | $27,000 | $47,000 |
| 41 | Utah | $35,155 | $27,000 | $45,000 |
| 42 | Idaho | $35,106 | $27,000 | $44,000 |
| 43 | Iowa | $34,690 | $26,000 | $45,000 |
| 44 | Kansas | $34,075 | $26,000 | $44,000 |
| 45 | Alabama | $33,399 | $25,000 | $44,000 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $32,920 | $24,000 | $44,000 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $32,524 | $25,000 | $41,000 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $32,479 | $24,000 | $43,000 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $31,962 | $24,000 | $41,000 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $31,616 | $23,000 | $42,000 |
Methodology: Carpenter Salary By State
To provide a comprehensive understanding of carpenter salaries by state, Zippia aggregates data from various sources including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Labor Commission, and the Office of Personnel Management. We enhance this data with actual listed salaries from job postings. The data science team then computes a weighted average of these inputs to derive the average pay for carpenters by state.
We ranked each state based on the average annual salary data for carpenters from these estimates, identifying the state with the highest salary as the top-ranking location for carpenter salaries.
Carpenter Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for carpenters?
The highest-paid state for carpenters is New Jersey with an average salary of $56,881 per year.
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What city pays carpenters the most?
New York, NY offers the highest salaries for carpenters, averaging $55,043 per year.
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What is the worst state for carpenters?
The lowest-paid state for carpenters is West Virginia, with an average salary of $31,616 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
