How to hire a construction carpenter

Construction carpenter hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring construction carpenters in the United States:

HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
The median cost to hire a construction carpenter is $1,633.
Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per construction carpenter on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
There are currently 266,600 construction carpenters in the US and 31,517 job openings.
Saint Louis, MO, has the highest demand for construction carpenters, with 4 job openings.
New York, NY has the highest concentration of construction carpenters.

How to hire a construction carpenter, step by step

To hire a construction carpenter, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a construction carpenter:

Here's a step-by-step construction carpenter hiring guide:

Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
Step 3: Make a budget
Step 4: Write a construction carpenter job description
Step 5: Post your job
Step 6: Interview candidates
Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new construction carpenter
Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a construction carpenter do?

A construction carpenter builds, designs, and installs structures, furniture, and fixtures from various materials. They are responsible for understanding and meeting the clients' needs, adhering to blueprints, operating different tools and equipment, measuring and cutting materials such as wood and metal, shaping and assembling various parts, and performing repairs or replacements. There are also instances where they must climb up high places, install doors and windows, and provide cost estimates to clients. Moreover, a construction carpenter typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a safe and efficient workflow.

Learn more about the specifics of what a construction carpenter does

Post a construction carpenter job for free, promote it for a fee

Identify your hiring needs

Before you post your construction carpenter job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a construction carpenter for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

Determine employee vs contractor status

Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

A construction carpenter's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, construction carpenters from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

This list shows salaries for various types of construction carpenters.

Type of Construction Carpenter	Description	Hourly rate
Construction Carpenter	Carpenters construct and repair building frameworks and structures—such as stairways, doorframes, partitions, rafters, and bridge supports—made from wood and other materials. They also may install kitchen cabinets, siding, and drywall.	$12-22
General Foreman	Using their knowledge and expertise of all construction disciplines, a general foreman plans and oversees operations within a construction site to ensure that everything is running smoothly. They are typically in charge of conducting regular inspections, coordinating with engineers and architects, managing the budget and expenditures, supervising workers, and ensuring that the project moves according to the desired time frame... Show more	$17-29
Framer	A framer is responsible for devising work plans and assembling the framework structure essential for constructing houses and other facilities. Moreover, they are also responsible for finding the appropriate materials needed for the project, setting the budget, managing the schedule, and consulting with the client for their preferences... Show more	$12-21

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Hand Tools
- Safety Rules
- Ladders
- Scaffolding
- Demolition
- Roofing
- Plumbing
- Construction Projects
- Clean Environment
- Power Saws
- Remodel
- Door Hardware
- Drywall Installation
- Window Frames
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- General construction including rough and finish carpentry, drywall, roofing, cement work, equipment operator, and landscaping
- Interpret blueprints and schematics to construct scaffolding and supporting structures for major projects.
- Complete home builds, additions, renovations (interior/kitchen), including plumbing, flooring.
- Upgrade existing cooling tower (demo and install 2x6s,4x6s,2x4s, hogwire, and filters for water )
- Arrange for subcontractors to deal with special areas such as heating, plumbing and electrical wiring work.
- Design and layout in respect to flooring, wall, door, window systems, stairways and complete roofing systems.
More construction carpenter duties

Make a budget

Including a salary range in your construction carpenter job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A construction carpenter salary can vary based on several factors:

Location. For example, construction carpenters' average salary in arkansas is 49% less than in new jersey.
Seniority. Entry-level construction carpenters earn 43% less than senior-level construction carpenters.
Certifications. A construction carpenter with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a construction carpenter's salary.

Average construction carpenter salary

$36,405yearly

$17.50 hourly rate

Entry-level construction carpenter salary

$27,000 yearly salary

Updated January 23, 2026

Average construction carpenter salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	New Jersey	$46,237	$22
2	District of Columbia	$44,199	$21
3	New York	$44,091	$21
4	California	$40,691	$20
5	Washington	$39,866	$19
6	Massachusetts	$39,707	$19
7	Virginia	$36,804	$18
8	Delaware	$35,558	$17
9	Colorado	$35,006	$17
10	Missouri	$34,720	$17
11	Arizona	$28,713	$14
12	North Carolina	$27,490	$13
13	Texas	$27,429	$13
14	Florida	$26,987	$13
15	Oklahoma	$26,425	$13
16	Arkansas	$23,422	$11

Average construction carpenter salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	B.R. Fries Constructors	$47,777	$22.97
2	R&J Construction	$47,449	$22.81	1
3	SpawGlass Holding LP	$46,486	$22.35	11
4	IMCO Construction	$45,896	$22.07
5	Maple Software Pvt	$45,686	$21.96
6	KBE Building	$44,999	$21.63	6
7	Hickory Construction	$44,304	$21.30
8	Retail	$44,008	$21.16
9	Performance Contracting	$43,645	$20.98
10	GPAC	$43,554	$20.94	1
11	New Image Construction	$42,835	$20.59
12	National Retail Systems, Inc.	$40,820	$19.63
13	Far West Inc	$40,412	$19.43
14	G&T Industries	$40,227	$19.34
15	Recon	$39,427	$18.96
16	Atlantic Constructors	$38,730	$18.62	41
17	Dry Pro Foundation and Crawlspace Specialists	$38,407	$18.46
18	Day Spring	$38,407	$18.46
19	Paul Davis USA	$38,359	$18.44	214
20	York Capital Management	$38,350	$18.44

Writing a construction carpenter job description
A construction carpenter job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a construction carpenter job description:
Construction carpenter job description example
Join our team and grow with us both professionally and personally!

Acts Retirement-Life Communities is the nation's largest not-for-profit owner, operator, and developer of resort-style continuing care senior living communities, including independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing care. The Acts family proudly consists of 26 communities in 9 states, and over 7,000 employees. Acts provides residents with a lifestyle that includes on-campus conveniences, services, and amenities such as casual and fine dining venues, beauty salons, fitness centers, security, healthcare, activity programs, and much more. Our employees are inspired by a culture of Loving-Kindness, and we are fully committed to appreciating the array of backgrounds and talents demonstrated by our employees.

Acts Acquisition & Development Company is currently seeking qualified candidates for our Construction Carpenter position.

In this role, you will be responsible for assisting the Site Supervisor in completing construction projects and operation goals. Assists with coordinating and performing all inspections necessary throughout the construction process. Must possess skill set required for rough framing, finish trim installation, window and door installation, drywall, siding installation, and many other aspects of construction.

The ideal candidate will meet the following requirements:

+ Minimum of five years' experience in maintenance or construction related field

+ Proficient in using hand and power tools

+ Understanding of blueprints, schematics, and construction documents

+ Knowledge of building codes and safety requirements (OSHA)

+ Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license

To protect the health and safety of our residents, employees, and the communities we serve, Acts has implemented a universal COVID-19 and Influenza (Flu) vaccination requirement for all employees. Qualified reasonable accommodation requests for medical and religious exemption will be reviewed by the Human Resources Department.

Full-time employees are eligible for a generous benefit package including health benefits (medical, dental and vision), health spending account, life insurance, disability programs, 401(k) with 4% company match, paid time off (PTO) and holidays, and much more! Some part-time positions may also be eligible to receive certain benefits.

For more information or to apply, visit us at www.acts-jobs.org.

Acts is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Acts is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process.

Street: 1 Clubhouse Avenue

Post End Date: 11/30/2022
Post your job
There are various strategies that you can use to find the right construction carpenter for your business:
- Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
- Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
- Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
- Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
Post your job online:
- Post your construction carpenter job on Zippia to find and attract quality construction carpenter candidates.
- Use niche websites such as constructionjobs.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
During your first interview to recruit construction carpenters, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.
It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new construction carpenter
Once you've selected the best construction carpenter candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.
It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.
After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new construction carpenter. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a construction carpenter?

Recruiting construction carpenters involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for construction carpenters is $36,405 in the US. However, the cost of construction carpenter hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a construction carpenter for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $22 an hour.

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Updated January 23, 2026

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How to hire a construction carpenter