Carpenter pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical carpenter pay ranges from $48,740 in Dallas, TX to $89,200 in San Francisco, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO, San Francisco, CA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Carpenters, SOC 47-2031).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $80,440 | $59,400 |
| 2 | St. Louis, MO | $70,990 | $58,500 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $89,200 | $58,400 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $76,410 | $56,300 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $80,190 | $56,200 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $66,480 | $55,400 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $74,060 | $54,800 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $74,440 | $54,800 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $75,210 | $53,700 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $65,070 | $53,600 |
| 11 | Kansas City, MO | $61,810 | $53,300 |
| 12 | Milwaukee, WI | $63,910 | $53,100 |
| 13 | Riverside, CA | $70,880 | $52,900 |
| 14 | Buffalo, NY | $63,500 | $52,600 |
| 15 | Los Angeles, CA | $75,740 | $52,200 |
| 16 | Las Vegas, NV | $62,380 | $52,200 |
| 17 | Portland, OR | $73,710 | $52,100 |
| 18 | Cleveland, OH | $60,650 | $51,700 |
| 19 | San Diego, CA | $73,200 | $51,500 |
| 20 | Cincinnati, OH | $60,110 | $50,900 |
| 21 | Hartford, CT | $64,770 | $50,900 |
| 22 | Detroit, MI | $65,810 | $50,800 |
| 23 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,180 | $50,200 |
| 24 | Denver, CO | $64,910 | $49,300 |
| 25 | Providence, RI | $61,910 | $49,300 |
| 26 | New York, NY | $74,300 | $49,100 |
| 27 | Nashville, TN | $55,770 | $48,800 |
| 28 | Grand Rapids, MI | $59,000 | $48,600 |
| 29 | Phoenix, AZ | $60,320 | $47,800 |
| 30 | Louisville, KY | $56,520 | $47,800 |
| 31 | Salt Lake City, UT | $59,870 | $47,200 |
| 32 | Memphis, TN | $50,620 | $46,500 |
| 33 | Philadelphia, PA | $61,780 | $46,400 |
| 34 | Baltimore, MD | $62,380 | $45,700 |
| 35 | Washington, DC | $60,800 | $44,600 |
| 36 | Oklahoma City, OK | $48,940 | $44,100 |
| 37 | San Antonio, TX | $48,900 | $43,800 |
| 38 | Tampa, FL | $52,130 | $43,700 |
| 39 | Birmingham, AL | $50,400 | $43,600 |
| 40 | Austin, TX | $50,260 | $43,400 |
| 41 | Jacksonville, FL | $50,540 | $43,000 |
| 42 | Charlotte, NC | $50,960 | $42,800 |
| 43 | Houston, TX | $49,670 | $42,700 |
| 44 | Richmond, VA | $51,870 | $42,600 |
| 45 | Virginia Beach, VA | $51,500 | $42,300 |
| 46 | Raleigh, NC | $50,820 | $42,300 |
| 47 | Orlando, FL | $49,750 | $41,600 |
| 48 | Atlanta, GA | $50,680 | $40,900 |
| 49 | Dallas, TX | $48,740 | $40,100 |
| 50 | Miami, FL | $51,570 | $38,200 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays carpenters the most?
Before taxes, San Francisco, CA has the highest typical carpenter pay among the 50 largest US metros: $89,200 a year. The lowest is Dallas, TX at $48,740. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does carpenter pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical carpenter pay goes furthest in Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO, San Francisco, CA. It goes the least far in Miami, FL, where it's worth about $38,200 in typical-US-city dollars.