Pick a trade and state to see real hourly rates.
Wage figures use the latest CareerOneStop/BLS data for Carpenters (SOC 47-2031), with annual figures based on 2,080 hours.
Last updated October 22, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Pick a trade and state to see real hourly rates.
Wage figures use the latest CareerOneStop/BLS data for Carpenters (SOC 47-2031), with annual figures based on 2,080 hours.
Last updated October 22, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Career guide · Pennsylvania
Build skills through apprenticeship, technical training, or supervised construction work, then develop strong blueprint, layout, safety, and finish skills.
This guide covers Pennsylvania carpenter wages, legal requirements, training options, and credentials that can strengthen job readiness. Wage figures use the latest CareerOneStop/BLS data for Carpenters (SOC 47-2031), with annual figures based on 2,080 hours. Training choices are selected for practical hands-on preparation, recognized credentials, or direct entry into paid apprenticeship work.
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.
The trade is not one job, it is three, and they are separated by what you are legally allowed to do rather than by how good you are. Knowing which level you are aiming at tells you which hours, which exam and which certificates actually matter.
Paid from day one, working under a licensed hand while you bank the hours that lead to your own card.
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 Pennsylvania start around $18.90 an hour and reach $44.29 at the top of the trade. Once you are working unsupervised the middle of the market sits near $28.48.
See the full carpenter salary guide →Pennsylvania generally does not license most construction contractors or their employees statewide. Requirements change when you perform home improvements, operate independently, or work under local permits and site rules.
Three routes into this trade. The first pays you while you learn and handles your hours paperwork, which is why it is usually the strongest option if you can get a place.
Certificates get you past the first filter. These are the things foremen and recruiters decide on, and they change depending on which level you are applying at.
No signed record of your supervised hours
Long gaps with no explanation at all
Leaving three or four shops inside a year
No OSHA card when the site requires one
Certifications that lapsed and were never renewed
Listing a licence as 'in progress' as though it is held
No supervisor anyone can call
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.25 | $520 | $59.99 | 6 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.50 | $1,040 | $159.99 | 8 weeks |
| First Aid/CPR/AED | +$0.25 | $520 | $95 | 10 weeks |
| Forklift Operator | +$0.50 | $1,040 | $200 | 10 weeks |
| Rigging & Crane Signaling | +$0.50 | $1,040 | $240 | 12 weeks |
Build a free profile and get matched with verified employers.
© 2026 American Recruits
