Pick a trade and state to see real hourly rates.
Last updated September 28, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Pick a trade and state to see real hourly rates.
Last updated September 28, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Career guide · Maryland
Learn how to start a carpentry career in Maryland, including skill levels, training, legal requirements, wages, and credentials.
Carpenters in Maryland build, install, repair, and remodel structures using wood and related materials. Their work can include framing, concrete forms, doors and windows, stairs, cabinets, flooring, remodeling, and other construction tasks. Carpenters may work in residential, commercial, or specialty construction, with opportunities to progress from supervised entry-level work into independent skilled positions and lead roles. Maryland recognizes carpenter as a registered apprenticeship occupation, giving new workers a pathway that combines paid on-the-job training with related instruction. This guide explains how to become a carpenter in Maryland, what skills employers look for, where to train, what legal requirements may apply, and what current wage data shows.
A good share of those postings are open to people at entry level with no licence yet.
Carpentry careers generally progress through three industry levels: Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master/Lead Carpenter.
Build foundational carpentry skills through supervised work, safety training, tool use, measuring, and technical instruction.
Perform skilled carpentry independently while handling plans, problem-solving, quality, and coordination with other trades.
Lead complex carpentry work through crew coordination, planning, quality control, and advanced jobsite problem-solving.
Maryland carpenter wages range from $21.12 to $45.66 hourly, with a $30.27 median based on latest published data.
See the full carpenter salary guide →Maryland does not list a separate statewide carpenter license for employees, but contractor licensing requirements apply when someone acts as a home improvement contractor.
Maryland offers registered apprenticeships and college-based construction programs that combine classroom instruction with hands-on carpentry training.
Maryland employers generally want carpenters who can work safely, follow plans, maintain reliable attendance, and produce accurate workmanship.
Repeated lateness or poor attendance
Unsafe tool or equipment use
Inaccurate measuring and layout
Difficulty following plans and specifications
Poor communication with the crew
Inconsistent workmanship
Resistance to feedback or new methods
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 | $200 | 5 weeks |
| NCCER Carpentry Level 1 | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $200 | 7 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.25 | $520 | $90 | 9 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.50 | $1,040 | $180 | 9 weeks |
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