Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012

47-2031 Carpenters

Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood, such as concrete forms; building frameworks, including partitions, joists, studding, and rafters; and wood stairways, window and door frames, and hardwood floors. May also install cabinets, siding, drywall and batt or roll insulation. Includes brattice builders who build doors or brattices (ventilation walls or partitions) in underground passageways

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
567,820 0.8 % $21.41 $44,520 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $11.96 $15.04 $19.20 $26.35 $34.90
Annual Wage (2) $24,880 $31,290 $39,940 $54,800 $72,580

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Residential Building Construction 171,070 29.96 $20.15 $41,910
Nonresidential Building Construction 108,110 16.50 $23.04 $47,920
Building Finishing Contractors 87,330 13.93 $22.02 $45,800
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 61,080 8.87 $19.89 $41,370
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 14,140 4.66 $25.37 $52,760

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Residential Building Construction 171,070 29.96 $20.15 $41,910
Nonresidential Building Construction 108,110 16.50 $23.04 $47,920
Building Finishing Contractors 87,330 13.93 $22.02 $45,800
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 61,080 8.87 $19.89 $41,370
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 4,940 4.93 $23.94 $49,800

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Motion Picture and Video Industries 1,420 0.40 $33.22 $69,090
Investigation and Security Services 30 (7) $29.78 $61,940
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 650 0.65 $29.17 $60,660
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 70 0.03 $28.46 $59,200
Performing Arts Companies 1,570 1.35 $27.75 $57,710

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 57,470 4.02 0.92 $26.82 $55,780
New York 44,990 5.27 1.21 $27.06 $56,290
Pennsylvania 34,870 6.23 1.43 $20.48 $42,590
Texas 32,020 3.03 0.69 $15.78 $32,820
Florida 30,890 4.25 0.97 $17.83 $37,090




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 3,190 10.02 2.30 $29.98 $62,360
Vermont 2,850 9.68 2.22 $20.59 $42,820
South Dakota 3,760 9.42 2.16 $15.46 $32,170
Wyoming 2,530 9.08 2.08 $19.94 $41,480
Montana 3,500 8.10 1.86 $17.62 $36,640




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 4,360 7.41 1.70 $32.20 $66,980
Alaska 3,190 10.02 2.30 $29.98 $62,360
New York 44,990 5.27 1.21 $27.06 $56,290
Massachusetts 14,150 4.42 1.01 $26.85 $55,850
California 57,470 4.02 0.92 $26.82 $55,780





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 22,900 4.44 1.02 $30.94 $64,350
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 12,960 3.56 0.82 $28.14 $58,530
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 10,680 2.76 0.63 $25.02 $52,040
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 10,400 5.70 1.31 $23.04 $47,910
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 9,590 3.63 0.83 $16.15 $33,590
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 9,340 3.98 0.91 $21.76 $45,260
Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division 8,980 7.34 1.68 $28.71 $59,710
Pittsburgh, PA 7,810 6.93 1.59 $21.35 $44,400
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 7,480 5.30 1.22 $27.10 $56,370
St. Louis, MO-IL 7,360 5.77 1.32 $26.03 $54,130