Occupation · SOC 47-2031
Carpenters
Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood and comparable materials, 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.
Median wage
$59,310
$38,760–$98,370
Projected growth
+4.5%
Average growth
Annual openings
4,310
per year
Employed (US)
697,740
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
285 mapped
Core skills
Critical ThinkingMonitoringActive ListeningCoordinationQuality Control AnalysisReading ComprehensionSpeakingJudgment and Decision Making
Knowledge areas
Building and ConstructionMathematicsAdministration and ManagementDesignEngineering and Technology
Technology & tools
Project management softwareComputer aided design CAD softwareAccounting softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite software
Representative tasks
Follow established safety rules and regulations and maintain a safe and clean environment.Measure and mark cutting lines on materials, using a ruler, pencil, chalk, and marking gauge.Assemble and fasten materials to make frameworks or props, using hand tools and wood screws, nails, dowel pins, or glue.Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or power saws.Study specifications in blueprints, sketches, or building plans to prepare project layout and determine dimensions and materials required.Verify trueness of structure, using plumb bob and level.Inspect ceiling or floor tile, wall coverings, siding, glass, or woodwork to detect broken or damaged structures.Erect scaffolding or ladders for assembling structures above ground level.Install structures or fixtures, such as windows, frames, floorings, trim, or hardware, using carpenters' hand or power tools.Maintain records, document actions, and present written progress reports.Remove damaged or defective parts or sections of structures and repair or replace, using hand tools.Maintain job records and schedule work crew.Anchor and brace forms and other structures in place, using nails, bolts, anchor rods, steel cables, planks, wedges, and timbers.Bore boltholes in timber, masonry or concrete walls, using power drill.Install rough door and window frames, subflooring, fixtures, or temporary supports in structures undergoing construction or repair.Dig or direct digging of post holes and set poles to support structures.Cover subfloors with building paper to keep out moisture and lay hardwood, parquet, or wood-strip-block floors by nailing floors to subfloor or cementing them to mastic or asphalt base.Construct forms or chutes for pouring concrete.Arrange for subcontractors to deal with special areas, such as heating or electrical wiring work.Build or repair cabinets, doors, frameworks, floors, or other wooden fixtures used in buildings, using woodworking machines, carpenter's hand tools, or power tools.Finish surfaces of woodwork or wallboard in houses or buildings, using paint, hand tools, or paneling.Select and order lumber or other required materials.Work with or remove hazardous material.Fill cracks or other defects in plaster or plasterboard and sand patch, using patching plaster, trowel, and sanding tool.Prepare cost estimates for clients or employers.Perform minor plumbing, welding, or concrete mixing work.Apply shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative paneling to ceilings or walls.Examine structural timbers and supports to detect decay, and replace timbers as required, using hand tools, nuts, and bolts.Build sleds from logs and timbers for use in hauling camp buildings and machinery through wooded areas.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Hand and power tools (circular saw, miter saw, drill, nail gun) — identify and use safely under a journeyman's review.Lumber selection and grading — recognize basic species and grade stamps on a residential job site.Measuring and marking (tape, square, chalk line) — execute accurately to a journeyman's layout.Stud and joist installation — perform per layout marks on a residential rough-in.Sheathing and subfloor — install per spec with appropriate nail patterns under supervision.PPE and fall-protection basics — apply consistently on a residential or light-commercial job site.Job-site cleanup and material staging — maintain to a foreman's expectations daily.Blueprint reading basics — interpret dimensions and elevations on residential floor plans.Basic concrete-form work (footings, walls) — set up under a senior carpenter's direction.Tool maintenance and battery management — handle for personal kit on a daily basis.
developing
Framing a single-family residence — execute walls, floors, and roof from prints with reduced oversight.Door and window installation (rough opening, set, shim, fasten) — perform routinely on a residential job.Stair construction (stringers, treads, risers) — lay out and install on standard residential staircases.Finish carpentry (baseboard, casing, crown) — install cleanly with proper miters and scarfs.Cabinet installation (base, wall, island) — set plumb and level in a typical kitchen or bath.Concrete form work (slabs, walls, columns) — build and brace per spec for typical commercial pours.Material take-offs from prints — produce for a defined room or area under foreman review.Apprentices on routine tasks — direct and check on layout, cutting, and nailing.Common code requirements (egress, headroom, fire blocking) — apply correctly during rough-in.Punch-list items at project close — identify and complete to inspector and homeowner standards.
proficient
Complex framing (cathedral ceilings, dormers, custom-truss systems) — design and execute on custom residential or light-commercial work.Layout and crew coordination — lead a small framing crew on a single-family or duplex framing schedule.Estimating labor and materials for a defined scope — produce credible bids for residential or small-commercial jobs.Finish-trim packages on high-end residential — execute with custom miters, returns, and built-ins.Built-in cabinets and millwork — design, fabricate, and install on custom residential projects.Code interpretation and inspector relationships — manage corrections and AHJ negotiations on active jobs.Specialty work (curved walls, radius work, structural retrofits) — execute on demanding residential or commercial scope.Apprentices and helpers — develop on framing technique, blueprint reading, and code knowledge.Punch-list and warranty calls — resolve with the customer to a contractor's-warranty standard.Schedule and trade-coordination — sequence carpentry within the broader build schedule.
advanced
Large residential or commercial projects — lead carpentry crews end-to-end with budget and schedule ownership.Estimating and bidding on multi-month jobs — produce competitive bids that hold margin.Specialty contractor or finish-carpentry business — operate as an independent owner with customer pipeline.Apprenticeship and journeyman development — mentor, sign off, and grow across a contractor's workforce.Custom millwork and architectural carpentry — design and build at a level of craft a custom-home market demands.Code interpretations on contested issues — develop defensible positions with AHJ and engineers.Crew safety culture and OSHA compliance — set, train, and enforce across all active sites.Customer and architect relationships on custom projects — manage scope, change orders, and design decisions.Pre-construction planning (site survey, material order, lead-time management) — execute on six-figure-plus jobs.Estimating standards and productivity rates — define and refine across a contractor's bidding practice.
Also known as
219 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Hardwood Flooring SpecialistSign Erector-and-RepairerCombat Engineer (Army 12B)Heavy Repair Superintendent (Air Force 3E290)Prop MakerHouse RepairerForm BuilderHull Maintenance Technician (Navy HT)Builder (Navy 002594)Scaffold BuilderSiding InstallerPlatform BuilderLaboratory-Equipment InstallerJalousies InstallerCarpenter IIHammererGarage Door HangerWood Car BuilderJourneyman CarpenterMast MakerRailcar CarpenterPanel InstallerAssembler, SubassemblyFramerCarpenter, RailcarSubassembly AssemblerCommercial CarpenterCabinet MakerSiding SpecialistAluminum Siding ApplicatorFraming CarpenterWood Boat BuilderMolding InstallerCabinet InstallerLather ApprenticeDoor HangerBrattice BuilderWharf BuilderConstructionman (Navy CN)Jointer