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CareerOneStop reports these 2025 Massachusetts wage figures for Carpenters, SOC 47-2031, using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data.
Last updated October 5, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Hiring guide · Massachusetts
Learn how to hire qualified carpenters, verify Massachusetts requirements, and assess practical skills for construction projects.
Carpenters in Massachusetts work across residential construction, commercial building, remodeling, framing, finish work, restoration, and repair projects. Their responsibilities can include structural framing, concrete forms, doors and windows, flooring, cabinets, trim, and other building components. Strong candidates should read plans accurately, take precise measurements, use hand and power tools safely, and understand how existing conditions can affect installation. Massachusetts has specific construction oversight requirements, including Construction Supervisor Licensing and Home Improvement Contractor registration for certain residential work. Public projects can also involve prevailing wage and apprentice registration requirements. This guide helps employers verify which rules apply, find trained carpenters, screen candidates at different experience levels, and assess practical skills before making a hiring decision.
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.
Massachusetts carpenters generally progress through supervised training, independent skilled work, and increasing leadership responsibility.
Build foundational carpentry skills through supervised work, safety training, tool use, measuring, and technical instruction.
Work independently on complex carpentry tasks, apply trade knowledge, and take responsibility for quality, productivity, and jobsite safety.
Lead experienced carpentry work, coordinate crews, solve complex jobsite problems, and maintain quality across assigned work.
Budget $36.16 an hour for a qualified carpenter in Massachusetts, from $23.19 at entry level to $59.08 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 →Massachusetts employers should verify the applicable supervisor, home-improvement, wage, worker classification, insurance, and safety requirements before assigning carpentry work.
Massachusetts employers can recruit carpenters through the statewide workforce system, registered apprenticeship network, and established construction training pathways.
Ask questions that reveal actual carpentry ability rather than relying only on years of experience or job titles.
Vague project responsibilities
Unverified apprenticeship claims
No blueprint experience
Limited structural framing
Little power-tool experience
No independent installations
Unexplained employment gaps
A realistic schedule for a certified carpenter, from writing the requisition to a badged start. The screening steps are where time is actually lost.
Massachusetts does not publish a current statewide carpenter wage rate separately for each private construction sector, so the verified statewide median of $36.16 per hour is used rather than substituting national industry figures.
Residential carpenters may handle framing, additions, remodeling, interior installations, exterior work, and finish details.
Commercial carpenters generally work from detailed plans and coordinate installations with larger project teams.
Structural framing emphasizes accurate layout, connections, material handling, and construction of walls, floors, and roof systems.
Finish carpenters focus on precise installation of trim, doors, cabinets, molding, flooring, and other visible components.
Public construction can involve Massachusetts prevailing wage schedules that establish project-specific hourly rates for carpenter classifications.
Post a role and reach OSHA-certified candidates in your area.