Helpers--Carpenters
Helpers--Carpenters (SOC 47-3012) earn a median $43,780 a year ($21.05 an hour) in the United States, with 21,680 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Hampshire.
What helpers--carpenters do
Carpenter helpers assist carpenters with duties requiring less skill, such as using, supplying and holding materials and tools, and cleaning the work area and equipment. They select tools, equipment and materials from storage and transport them to the work site, hold timbers, lumber or paneling in position while it is fastened or cut, and cut or drill them to specified dimensions. Helpers fasten timbers or lumber with glue, screws, pegs or nails, install hardware, and perform tie spacing layout, measuring, marking, drilling or cutting. They also align, straighten, plumb or square forms for installation. Cleaning work areas, machines and equipment keeps the job site clean and safe. Titles in the group include carpenter assistant, carpenter mate and building carpenter helper. Apprentices are classified with the skilled trade, which for carpenters is 47-2031, and a construction laborer who does not mainly assist a carpenter belongs in construction laborers (47-2061).
Typical entry: Most workers in this occupation report a high school diploma or equivalent as their level of education, according to O*NET.
Also called: Beam Builder Helper, Building Carpenter Helper, Cabinetmaker Helper, Carpenter Assistant, Carpenter Helper.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.22 | $17.66 | $21.05 | $23.75 | $27.73 | $21.18 | 21,680 |
| Annual | $31,660 | $36,730 | $43,780 | $49,400 | $57,670 | $44,050 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where helpers--carpenters earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $20.35 | $23.12 | $27.93 | $28.41 | $29.73 | $25.65 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $42,320 | $48,080 | $58,090 | $59,090 | $61,830 | $53,340 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $19.92 | $21.09 | $24.47 | $26.38 | $26.38 | $23.54 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $41,430 | $43,860 | $50,900 | $54,870 | $54,870 | $48,970 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $20.00 | $22.73 | $24.26 | $27.30 | $28.86 | $24.71 | 200 | 0.12 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $41,600 | $47,290 | $50,460 | $56,770 | $60,030 | $51,390 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $22.93 | $23.30 | $24.18 | $25.31 | $27.39 | $24.60 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $47,690 | $48,460 | $50,300 | $52,640 | $56,980 | $51,160 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $18.98 | $21.42 | $24.09 | $25.37 | $26.42 | $23.35 | 160 | 0.26 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $39,480 | $44,550 | $50,100 | $52,760 | $54,950 | $48,560 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.64 | $20.75 | $23.99 | $31.16 | $36.58 | $26.22 | 2,670 | 0.15 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $36,690 | $43,150 | $49,890 | $64,810 | $76,080 | $54,530 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.70 | $16.06 | $21.13 | $23.21 | $27.19 | $20.25 | 2,270 | 0.16 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $28,490 | $33,410 | $43,950 | $48,270 | $56,560 | $42,120 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.42 | $17.44 | $19.34 | $22.25 | $23.78 | $20.07 | 2,120 | 0.21 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $34,160 | $36,270 | $40,220 | $46,280 | $49,450 | $41,750 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $14.65 | $18.79 | $21.03 | $23.51 | $27.47 | $21.14 | 1,200 | 0.29 | 2.09 |
| Annual | $30,460 | $39,080 | $43,730 | $48,900 | $57,140 | $43,980 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.68 | $20.51 | $22.95 | $25.55 | $27.99 | $23.10 | 1,110 | 0.11 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $38,850 | $42,670 | $47,740 | $53,140 | $58,210 | $48,050 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.71 | $21.64 | $31.16 | $42.05 | $43.12 | $29.96 | 750 | 0.12 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $34,760 | $45,010 | $64,810 | $87,470 | $89,690 | $62,310 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $19.00 | $23.62 | $29.99 | $35.47 | $36.58 | $29.28 | 340 | 0.14 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $39,530 | $49,140 | $62,370 | $73,780 | $76,080 | $60,900 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $25.47 | $28.41 | $28.41 | $28.41 | $28.41 | $27.96 | 50 | 0.46 | 3.30 |
| Annual | $52,980 | $59,090 | $59,090 | $59,090 | $59,090 | $58,160 | ||||
| New Haven, CT | Hourly | $21.85 | $22.29 | $25.37 | $28.92 | $28.92 | $25.44 | 40 | 0.15 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $45,440 | $46,360 | $52,760 | $60,150 | $60,150 | $52,920 | ||||
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | Hourly | $24.53 | $25.37 | $25.37 | $25.37 | $29.32 | $25.46 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $51,020 | $52,760 | $52,760 | $52,760 | $60,990 | $52,960 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.49 | $18.28 | $23.49 | $26.28 | $28.00 | $22.76 | 1,360 | 0.14 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $38,030 | $48,850 | $54,670 | $58,240 | $47,340 | ||||
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | Hourly | $11.01 | $11.09 | $12.68 | $14.21 | $16.71 | $13.01 | 1,010 | 1.47 | 10.54 |
| Annual | $22,910 | $23,070 | $26,380 | $29,560 | $34,760 | $27,050 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.71 | $21.64 | $31.16 | $42.05 | $43.12 | $29.96 | 750 | 0.12 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $34,760 | $45,010 | $64,810 | $87,470 | $89,690 | $62,310 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $15.00 | $17.72 | $21.44 | $23.99 | $27.25 | $21.08 | 740 | 0.22 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $36,860 | $44,600 | $49,890 | $56,670 | $43,850 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $17.25 | $18.98 | $21.34 | $24.57 | $27.76 | $22.21 | 630 | 0.20 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $35,880 | $39,470 | $44,380 | $51,100 | $57,750 | $46,200 | ||||
Top industries employing helpers--carpenters
Residential Building Construction employ 37.0% of helpers--carpenters nationally (8,030 jobs) at a median $45,010 a year ($21.64 an hour), followed by Building Finishing Contractors (19.3%) and Nonresidential Building Construction (13.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Building Construction NAICS 236100 | 8,030 | 37.0% | $45,010 | $21.64 |
| Building Finishing Contractors NAICS 238300 | 4,190 | 19.3% | $39,470 | $18.98 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200 | 2,920 | 13.5% | $44,700 | $21.49 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors NAICS 238100 | 2,490 | 11.5% | $44,530 | $21.41 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors NAICS 238900 | 660 | 3.0% | $43,870 | $21.09 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (21,680). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $36,690 for helpers--carpenters in May 2021 and $43,780 in May 2025, with employment of 27,540 and 21,680.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $36,690 | $17.64 | 27,540 |
| May 2022 | $37,490 | $18.03 | 24,580 |
| May 2023 | $39,380 | $18.93 | 21,770 |
| May 2024 | $41,600 | $20.00 | 24,610 |
| May 2025 | $43,780 | $21.05 | 21,680 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
47 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire profile | $27.93 | $58,090 | $42,320 | $61,830 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | Colorado profile | $24.47 | $50,900 | $41,430 | $54,870 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.49 |
| 3 | Connecticut profile | $24.26 | $50,460 | $41,600 | $60,030 | 200 | 0.12 | 0.84 |
| 4 | Rhode Island profile | $24.18 | $50,300 | $47,690 | $56,980 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | Maine profile | $24.09 | $50,100 | $39,480 | $54,950 | 160 | 0.26 | 1.84 |
| 6 | California profile | $23.99 | $49,890 | $36,690 | $76,080 | 2,670 | 0.15 | 1.05 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $23.14 | $48,130 | $35,190 | $56,160 | 630 | 0.17 | 1.24 |
| 8 | New York profile | $22.95 | $47,740 | $38,850 | $58,210 | 1,110 | 0.11 | 0.82 |
| 9 | Arkansas profile | $22.50 | $46,800 | $33,410 | $74,670 | 100 | 0.08 | 0.55 |
| 10 | Washington profile | $22.14 | $46,060 | $41,990 | $60,040 | 620 | 0.18 | 1.26 |
| 11 | Illinois profile | $21.95 | $45,660 | $31,200 | $59,740 | ** | ** | ** |
| 12 | Michigan profile | $21.62 | $44,960 | $34,820 | $53,020 | 230 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| 13 | Ohio profile | $21.52 | $44,760 | $27,910 | $54,870 | 540 | 0.10 | 0.69 |
| 14 | Hawaii profile | $21.42 | $44,550 | $40,010 | $54,090 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | Vermont profile | $21.42 | $44,550 | $40,090 | $58,000 | 200 | 0.66 | 4.71 |
| 16 | New Jersey profile | $21.17 | $44,040 | $32,220 | $58,240 | 840 | 0.20 | 1.41 |
| 17 | Texas profile | $21.13 | $43,950 | $28,490 | $56,560 | 2,270 | 0.16 | 1.16 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.10 | $43,880 | $31,200 | $56,580 | 560 | 0.09 | 0.66 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $21.03 | $43,730 | $30,460 | $57,140 | 1,200 | 0.29 | 2.09 |
| 20 | Oregon profile | $20.80 | $43,260 | $33,780 | $53,820 | 220 | 0.11 | 0.82 |
| 21 | Indiana profile | $20.65 | $42,940 | $32,900 | $53,460 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.36 |
| 22 | Montana profile | $20.51 | $42,670 | $39,870 | $49,920 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $20.10 | $41,820 | $31,810 | $49,200 | ** | ** | ** |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $19.97 | $41,540 | $38,590 | $44,960 | ** | ** | ** |
| 25 | Louisiana profile | $19.66 | $40,900 | $22,660 | $52,100 | 860 | 0.45 | 3.20 |
| 26 | North Carolina profile | $19.49 | $40,540 | $29,920 | $48,680 | 650 | 0.13 | 0.95 |
| 27 | Florida profile | $19.34 | $40,220 | $34,160 | $49,450 | 2,120 | 0.21 | 1.53 |
| 28 | Georgia profile | $19.31 | $40,160 | $27,890 | $45,620 | 410 | 0.08 | 0.60 |
| 29 | Iowa profile | $19.15 | $39,830 | $30,730 | $56,390 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $19.13 | $39,790 | $33,410 | $55,450 | 440 | 0.14 | 0.97 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $19.07 | $39,670 | $31,990 | $47,290 | 50 | 0.05 | 0.33 |
| 32 | Wisconsin profile | $18.98 | $39,480 | $26,750 | $56,880 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| 33 | Maryland profile | $18.98 | $39,470 | $31,660 | $54,190 | 580 | 0.21 | 1.50 |
| 34 | Alaska profile | $18.85 | $39,210 | $36,270 | $50,270 | 90 | 0.26 | 1.89 |
| 35 | Alabama profile | $18.72 | $38,930 | $29,610 | $47,730 | 410 | 0.19 | 1.39 |
| 36 | Kansas profile | $18.33 | $38,130 | $29,900 | $49,000 | 80 | 0.06 | 0.41 |
| 37 | Oklahoma profile | $18.31 | $38,080 | $29,890 | $45,470 | 150 | 0.09 | 0.64 |
| 38 | New Mexico profile | $17.84 | $37,100 | $32,000 | $53,310 | 50 | 0.06 | 0.44 |
| 39 | Nevada profile | $17.42 | $36,230 | $26,800 | $47,440 | 540 | 0.35 | 2.51 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $17.35 | $36,090 | $25,830 | $43,920 | 200 | 0.09 | 0.62 |
| 41 | Utah profile | $17.22 | $35,820 | $26,730 | $53,340 | 330 | 0.19 | 1.36 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $17.08 | $35,520 | $25,320 | $42,970 | ** | ** | ** |
| 43 | Mississippi profile | $17.00 | $35,360 | $29,120 | $42,670 | 140 | 0.12 | 0.87 |
| 44 | South Dakota profile | $16.68 | $34,700 | $27,420 | $46,370 | 330 | 0.72 | 5.14 |
| 45 | Delaware profile | $16.31 | $33,920 | $31,200 | $45,990 | 190 | 0.40 | 2.86 |
| 46 | West Virginia profile | $16.23 | $33,760 | $29,370 | $47,930 | 320 | 0.45 | 3.26 |
| 47 | Missouri profile | $15.59 | $32,420 | $28,780 | $45,020 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.11 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (47-3010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-3012 Helpers--Carpenters.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-3012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-3012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.