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Salary Guides / California
Carpenter Salary in California
Discover California carpenter hourly rates, annual salaries, career levels, credentials, industries, and factors affecting earning potential.
What Carpenter Earns in California
Carpenters construct, install, and repair structures and fixtures made from wood and comparable materials, including framing, concrete forms, stairs, doors, windows, flooring, and cabinets. California carpenters earn a statewide median of $36.50 per hour, with the 10th percentile at $22.83 and the 90th percentile at $57.67. These figures correspond to $47,490, $75,920, and $119,950 annually. The data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics latest wage estimates. Actual pay varies by experience, specialization, location, employer, union status, overtime, and project type. California also publishes separate prevailing wage determinations for qualifying public works, with rates varying by craft, classification, location, and project.
Hourly rates by level in California
Rates typically increase with experience, skills, and responsibility.
Where do you stand?
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other carpenters in California.
What are you making?
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Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.
You're right around the middle
$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.
Calculate pay with extra credentials
Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.
1Your level
2Certifications you hold
3Shift & work type
4Overtime & per diem
An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
Who pays the most in California
Specialized projects and public works can offer different earning opportunities.
Commercial Construction
Commercial carpenters work on offices, retail properties, institutions, interiors, framing, fixtures, and larger building projects.
Residential Construction
Residential carpenters handle framing, remodeling, finish work, installations, repairs, and other housing-related construction.
Industrial Construction
Industrial carpenters may work on structural components, concrete forms, equipment supports, and specialized construction environments.
Heavy Highway
Heavy and highway carpentry includes transportation infrastructure, bridges, concrete forms, and related public construction work.
Institutional Construction
Institutional projects include schools, hospitals, public facilities, and other large structures requiring substantial construction and finish work.
Public Works
California public works uses prevailing wage determinations that vary by county, construction category, carpenter classification, and applicable project schedule.
Which states pay carpenters the most
Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.
What each certification is worth
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCCER Carpentry Level 2 | +$1 | $2,080 | $190 | 5 weeks |
| Scaffold User/Competent Person (OSHA-aligned) | +$1 | $2,080 | $210 | 5 weeks |
| NCCER Carpentry Level 1 | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $190 | 6 weeks |
| Fall Protection Competent Person (OSHA-aligned) | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $165 | 6 weeks |
| First Aid/CPR/AED | +$0.25 | $520 | $70 | 7 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.25 | $520 | $85 | 9 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.50 | $1,040 | $170 | 9 weeks |
What overtime actually adds
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $36.50/hr.
Questions workers ask
Does California require carpenters to hold an individual trade license?▾
What California contractor classification covers finish carpentry?▾
How much experience is required for a California contractor license?▾
Does completing an apprenticeship establish journey-level status?▾
Are California public works carpenter rates the same statewide?▾
Are apprentices eligible for California prevailing wages?▾
Is OSHA 30 a California carpenter certification?▾
Does California recognize different carpenter specialties?▾
See Open Carpenter Jobs in California
Verified positions matching this trade and location.
The data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 wage estimates.
Last updated October 1, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.