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
MonitoringCritical ThinkingActive ListeningCoordinationSpeakingReading ComprehensionQuality Control AnalysisTime ManagementMathematicsJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningWritingOperations MonitoringOperation and ControlSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationLearning StrategiesEquipment SelectionSystems EvaluationManagement of Personnel ResourcesInstructingSystems AnalysisPersuasionNegotiationTroubleshootingRepairingManagement of Material ResourcesInstallationEquipment MaintenanceManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignOperations AnalysisProgrammingScience
Knowledge areas
Building and ConstructionMathematicsAdministration and ManagementDesignEngineering and TechnologyPublic Safety and SecurityMechanicalEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServicePhysicsEnglish LanguageProduction and ProcessingTransportationComputers and ElectronicsPersonnel and Human ResourcesAdministrativeEconomics and AccountingTelecommunicationsSales and MarketingChemistryLaw and GovernmentCommunications and MediaPsychologyGeographyForeign LanguageMedicine and DentistrySociology and AnthropologyPhilosophy and TheologyTherapy and CounselingFood ProductionHistory and ArcheologyBiologyFine Arts
Technology & tools
Bosch Punch ListCraftsman CD EstimatorDrawing and drafting softwareEstimating softwareIntuit QuickBooksJob costing softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordQuickenRenaissance MasterCarpenterTurtle Creek Software GoldensealVirtualBossWeb browser softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareWilhelm Publishing Threshold
Representative tasks
Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsGetting InformationMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsHandling and Moving ObjectsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersProcessing InformationDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeThinking CreativelyControlling Machines and ProcessesScheduling Work and ActivitiesJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsAnalyzing Data or InformationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesDeveloping and Building TeamsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersDocumenting/Recording InformationTraining and Teaching OthersInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationCoaching and Developing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesAssisting and Caring for OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesWorking with ComputersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentSelling or Influencing Others
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
168 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Aluminum Siding ApplicatorAluminum Siding InstallerAluminum Siding MechanicAmusement and Recreational Prop MakerAsbestos Siding MechanicAssembled Wood Products RepairerBeam BuilderBoat BuilderBoat CarpenterBoat Carpenter MechanicBoat FinisherBoat JoinerBoat RepairerBoatwrightBowling Alley Floors InstallerBracerBraddisherBrattice BuilderBridge CarpenterBridge MechanicBuilding CarpenterCabinet InstallerCabinet MakerCanoe BuilderCarpenterCarpenter AssemblerCarpenter RepairerCarpentry SpecialistCasket AssemblerCeilerCloset BuilderCommercial CarpenterComposition Siding WorkerComposition Weatherboard ApplierConcrete CarpenterConstruction CarpenterConstruction FramerCooperCounter InstallerCustom Applicator