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The salary for a Lead Carpenter varies widely based on several factors, including experience, geographic location, and industry specialization. Currently, the average salary is approximately $49,228 per year. Entry-level positions typically start lower, while experienced professionals can earn significantly more, particularly in areas with higher demand for skilled labor.
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Newer carpenters may earn around $38,000, while those with over ten years of experience can see salaries exceeding $60,000. Additionally, regions like California and New York often offer higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for quality craftsmanship.
Lead Carpenters are essential in various sectors, including residential construction, commercial projects, and renovation services. Job seekers can find numerous openings across job boards, with many companies actively seeking skilled professionals. For those interested in advancing their careers, exploring certifications and specialized training can lead to better job prospects and higher salaries.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level lead carpenter | $29,900 | $14.39 |
| Mid-level lead carpenter | $46,600 | $22.38 |
| Senior-level lead carpenter | $60,500 | $29.10 |
The average lead carpenter salary in Massachusetts, California, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average lead carpenter salary states are New Mexico, Idaho, and Alabama.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $53,950 | $25.94 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $52,728 | $25.35 |
| 3 | Nevada | $49,293 | $23.70 |
| 4 | Washington | $57,045 | $27.43 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $65,105 | $31.30 |
| 6 | California | $64,815 | $31.16 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $47,615 | $22.89 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $55,112 | $26.50 |
| 9 | Indiana | $51,455 | $24.74 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $57,066 | $27.44 |
| 11 | Alaska | $47,833 | $23.00 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $49,974 | $24.03 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $52,109 | $25.05 |
| 14 | Oregon | $49,318 | $23.71 |
| 15 | New York | $54,728 | $26.31 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $56,966 | $27.39 |
| 17 | Delaware | $50,639 | $24.35 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $43,924 | $21.12 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $53,494 | $25.72 |
| 20 | Virginia | $48,954 | $23.54 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $42,478 | $20.42 |
| 22 | Ohio | $45,901 | $22.07 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $51,221 | $24.63 |
| 24 | Colorado | $48,100 | $23.13 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $43,517 | $20.92 |
| 26 | Iowa | $42,244 | $20.31 |
| 27 | Utah | $43,282 | $20.81 |
| 28 | Michigan | $41,627 | $20.01 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $43,442 | $20.89 |
| 30 | Missouri | $45,763 | $22.00 |
| 31 | Arizona | $43,213 | $20.78 |
| 32 | Maine | $42,253 | $20.31 |
| 33 | Montana | $40,516 | $19.48 |
| 34 | Kansas | $40,539 | $19.49 |
| 35 | Maryland | $47,991 | $23.07 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $39,370 | $18.93 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $42,018 | $20.20 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $40,999 | $19.71 |
| 39 | Florida | $41,277 | $19.84 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $39,147 | $18.82 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $39,931 | $19.20 |
| 42 | Georgia | $40,734 | $19.58 |
| 43 | Idaho | $36,613 | $17.60 |
| 44 | Illinois | $42,254 | $20.31 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $37,463 | $18.01 |
| 46 | Texas | $40,678 | $19.56 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $40,072 | $19.27 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35,982 | $17.30 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $35,543 | $17.09 |
| 50 | Alabama | $36,256 | $17.43 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $35,792 | $17.21 |
The highest-paying cities for lead carpenters are San Jose, CA, Franklin Town, MA, and Lakewood, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $65,799 | $31.63 |
| 2 | Franklin Town, MA | $65,381 | $31.43 |
| 3 | Lakewood, WA | $57,504 | $27.65 |
| 4 | Warwick, RI | $55,168 | $26.52 |
| 5 | Syracuse, NY | $53,553 | $25.75 |
| 6 | Lancaster, PA | $51,819 | $24.91 |
| 7 | Carmel, IN | $51,367 | $24.70 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $49,966 | $24.02 |
| 9 | Eugene, OR | $49,702 | $23.90 |
| 10 | Winchester, VA | $49,381 | $23.74 |
| 11 | Englewood, CO | $48,119 | $23.13 |
| 12 | Kirkwood, MO | $45,877 | $22.06 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $45,597 | $21.92 |
| 14 | American Fork, UT | $43,205 | $20.77 |
| 15 | Palatine, IL | $42,361 | $20.37 |
| 16 | Tampa, FL | $41,406 | $19.91 |
| 17 | Columbia, SC | $41,075 | $19.75 |
| 18 | Savannah, GA | $40,895 | $19.66 |
| 19 | Austin, TX | $40,854 | $19.64 |
| 20 | Muskegon, MI | $40,782 | $19.61 |
A lead carpenter's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $65,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| Average | $49,228 | $4,102 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
The highest paying types of lead carpenters are construction supervisor, lead installer, and carpenter foreman.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Foreman | $57,121 | $4,760 | $27.46 | 40,621 |
| Construction Supervisor | $62,881 | $5,240 | $30.23 | 32,487 |
| Journeyman | $57,682 | $4,807 | $27.73 | 13,953 |
| Concrete Finisher | $40,674 | $3,389 | $19.55 | 15,309 |
| General Foreman | $48,517 | $4,043 | $23.33 | 49,875 |
| Construction Inspector | $52,306 | $4,359 | $25.15 | 42,007 |
Top companies hiring lead carpenters now:
Lead carpenter salaries at Brasfield & Gorrie and Mt. San Antonio College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead carpenter salary at companies like General Contracting Services and Archbold Medical Center are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brasfield & Gorrie | $59,503 | $28.61 |
| 2 | Mt. San Antonio College | $58,369 | $28.06 |
| 3 | General Contracting Services | $53,733 | $25.83 |
| 4 | Archbold Medical Center | $53,049 | $25.50 |
| 5 | Washington State University | $51,445 | $24.73 |
| 6 | White Plains Hospital | $51,271 | $24.65 |
| 7 | San Jose State University | $49,891 | $23.99 |
| 8 | Eagle Electric | $49,607 | $23.85 |
| 9 | GPAC | $49,294 | $23.70 |
| 10 | Outdoor Living Brands | $48,580 | $23.36 |
| 11 | Aerotek | $47,925 | $23.04 |
| 12 | Paul Davis USA | $47,667 | $22.92 |
| 13 | The High Companies | $47,563 | $22.87 |
| 14 | PeopleReady | $47,544 | $22.86 |
| 15 | Sunbelt Rentals | $47,441 | $22.81 |
| 16 | Express Employment Indy South | $47,187 | $22.69 |
| 17 | ATI - Allegheny Technologies Incorporated | $47,168 | $22.68 |
| 18 | Tradesmen International | $46,948 | $22.57 |
| 19 | ServiceMaster Restore | $46,872 | $22.53 |
| 20 | CNY Outsourcing | $46,623 | $22.41 |
The average lead carpenter salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | $53,642 | $25.79 |
| 2 | Professional | $46,605 | $22.41 |
| 3 | Retail | $46,525 | $22.37 |
| 4 | Energy | $46,243 | $22.23 |
| 5 | Government | $45,736 | $21.99 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $43,881 | $21.10 |
The average lead carpenter salary has risen by $9,454 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead carpenter earned $39,774 annually, but today, they earn $49,228 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for lead carpenters over the last decade.
Compare lead carpenter salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare lead carpenter salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $49,200 | $23.67 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $48,000 | $23.10 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $46,300 | $22.27 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $44,900 | $21.59 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $43,300 | $20.84 | +3.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curry College | Lead Carpenter-Curry College | Milton, MA | 06/27/2025 | $70,645 |
| Aerotek | Lead Carpenter | Middleton, WI | 06/24/2025 | $62,400 |
| City Theatre Company | Lead Carpenter | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/23/2025 | $41,740 |
| Aerotek | Lead Carpenter | Prospect Park, PA | 06/21/2025 | $52,175 |
| Aerotek | Lead Carpenter Start Asap | Jacksonville, FL | 06/20/2025 | $50,088 |
| Thomas Buckborough & Associates | Lead Carpenter | Boston, MA | 06/20/2025 | $73,045 |
| Bath Saver Dba Bath Fitter | Lead Carpenter/Installer | Akron, OH | 06/19/2025 | $85,000 |
| Peopleready | Lead Carpenter | Dalton, GA | 06/18/2025 | $52,175 |
| Bax Homeworks | Lead Carpenter-Construction/Remodeler | Jefferson City, MO | 06/18/2025 | $48,001 |
| Petesconstructionllc | Lead Carpenter | Salem, NH | 06/17/2025 | $73,045 |
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