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These are 2025 Arizona statewide wage figures for Carpenters, SOC 47-2031. The corresponding annual figures are $38,830 low, $58,580 median, and $75,950 high. Local pay varies. The 2025 median was $29.00 per hour in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler area, $23.61 in Tucson, $27.20 in Prescott Valley-Prescott, and $26.91 in Flagstaff.
Last updated October 5, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Career guide · Arizona
Build and repair homes, commercial structures, interiors, and fixtures across Arizona, from rough framing to finish carpentry.
This guide explains how the carpenter trade works in Arizona, what employers typically expect at each career stage, and what you need to work legally. It covers apprenticeship routes, Arizona contractor licensing, safety training, lead safe renovation work, training options, and current carpenter wages. Arizona has registered apprenticeship programs that combine paid on the job training with related technical instruction. The state also has a specific R-7 Carpentry contractor classification covering rough and finish carpentry, millwork, windows, metal studs, and related work. Wage figures use CareerOneStop data based on Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for Arizona carpenters under SOC 47-2031.
A good share of those postings are open to people at entry level with no licence yet. Live counts move week to week — the training routes below do not.
Arizona carpenters can enter through registered apprenticeship, trade school, or employer training. A registered apprenticeship provides paid field experience while building the skills needed for independent carpentry work.
Paid from day one, working under a licensed hand while you bank the hours that lead
Qualified to work on your own. This is the level nearly every job ad is really asking for, and the biggest pay step you will ever get.
You run work rather than just do it: crews across sites, permits where the trade allows, and the option of qualifying a business of your own.
Carpenters in Arizona start around $18.67 an hour and reach $36.52 at the top of the trade. Once you are working unsupervised the middle of the market sits near $28.17.
See the full carpenter salary guide →Carpentry employees generally work under their employer's contracting authority, while independent contractors and businesses may need Arizona licensing. This section covers licensing, safety training, employment requirements, site access, and other practical requirements for working legally.
Arizona offers registered carpentry apprenticeships that combine paid jobsite training with related technical instruction through approved sponsors.
Arizona employers need carpenters who can work accurately in demanding conditions, follow plans, use tools safely, and maintain production without sacrificing quality.
Inconsistent Jobsite Attendance
Repeated Measuring and Layout Errors
Unsafe Tool and Equipment Practices
Weak Blueprint Reading Skills
Poor Material Preparation Habits
Unclear Jobsite Communication Skills
Limited Crew Leadership Skills
The realistic route, start to finish. Most of it is paid — you are earning from the point you are taken on, not from the point you are licensed.
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCCER Carpentry Level 2 | +$1 | $2,080 | $190 | 5 weeks |
| Scaffold | +$1 | $2,080 | $210 | 5 weeks |
| NCCER Carpentry Level 1 | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $190 | 6 weeks |
| Fall Protection Competent Person | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $165 | 6 weeks |
| First Aid/CPR/AED | +$0.25 | $520 | $70 | 7 weeks |
| OSHA 10 Construction | +$0.25 | $520 | $85 | 9 weeks |
| OSHA 30 Construction | +$0.50 | $1,040 | $170 | 9 weeks |
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