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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.
Hiring guide · Arizona
Learn how to hire qualified carpenters, verify contractor licensing, and assess practical skills for Arizona construction projects.
Carpenters in Arizona work across residential construction, commercial buildings, remodeling, framing, finish work, and specialty carpentry. Their duties may include rough framing, doors and windows, millwork, cabinets, flooring, metal studs, and other installation and repair work. Strong candidates should be able to read plans, take accurate measurements, use hand and power tools safely, and adapt their work to demanding site conditions. Arizona employers also need to understand contractor licensing, workers’ compensation, workplace safety, and heat-related requirements when hiring employees or subcontractors. This guide helps employers assess carpentry experience, verify applicable credentials, find trained candidates, and ask practical questions that reveal whether a carpenter can perform the work required on the project.
Candidate availability moves week to week. What does not move is the screening: the certifications below are what decide whether someone can be badged onto your site at all.
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.
Productive under supervision and cheap, but they cannot be left on a task the state licenses, and they need someone qualified with them.
Works unsupervised and can carry a helper. This is the level almost every requisition is actually describing.
Runs crews across sites, owns compliance outcomes, and where the trade allows, pulls permits and qualifies the work.
Budget $28.17 an hour for a qualified carpenter in Arizona, from $18.67 at entry level to $36.52 at the top. Add a quarter to a third on top for payroll taxes, insurance and equipment, and price overtime at time and a half.
See the full carpenter salary guide →Arizona employers should verify the correct contractor classification, workplace safety requirements, insurance coverage, and project-specific qualifications before work begins.
Arizona's registered apprenticeship system provides several construction-focused routes for employers looking for trained carpenters.
Use questions that test actual jobsite skills rather than relying only on years of experience.
Vague project responsibilities
No measurable carpentry experience
Unverified apprenticeship claims
No blueprint experience
Limited layout skills
No independent work history
No experience with outdoor heat conditions
A realistic schedule for a certified carpenter, from writing the requisition to a badged start. The screening steps are where time is actually lost.
Arizona's published statewide carpenter wage data does not provide separate sector-specific median rates, so the verified statewide median is used rather than creating unsupported sector rates.
Residential framing and installation experience can cover multiple project stages.
Commercial carpenters may work from detailed drawings alongside larger construction crews.
Renovation carpenters need to adapt measurements and installation methods to existing structures.
Finish work requires careful measurements and consistent attention to visible details.
Custom residential projects can require broader carpentry skills and close coordination with designers and other trades.
Post a role and reach OSHA-certified candidates in your area.