Pick a trade and state to see real hourly rates.
The data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 wage estimates.
Last updated October 1, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Pick a trade and state to see real hourly rates.
The data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 wage estimates.
Last updated October 1, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Salary Guides / California
Discover California carpenter hourly rates, annual salaries, career levels, credentials, industries, and factors affecting earning potential.
Carpenters construct, install, and repair structures and fixtures made from wood and comparable materials, including framing, concrete forms, stairs, doors, windows, flooring, and cabinets. California carpenters earn a statewide median of $36.50 per hour, with the 10th percentile at $22.83 and the 90th percentile at $57.67. These figures correspond to $47,490, $75,920, and $119,950 annually. The data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics latest wage estimates. Actual pay varies by experience, specialization, location, employer, union status, overtime, and project type. California also publishes separate prevailing wage determinations for qualifying public works, with rates varying by craft, classification, location, and project.
Rates typically increase with experience, skills, and responsibility.
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other carpenters in California.
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$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.
Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.
An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
Specialized projects and public works can offer different earning opportunities.
Commercial carpenters work on offices, retail properties, institutions, interiors, framing, fixtures, and larger building projects.
Residential carpenters handle framing, remodeling, finish work, installations, repairs, and other housing-related construction.
Industrial carpenters may work on structural components, concrete forms, equipment supports, and specialized construction environments.
Heavy and highway carpentry includes transportation infrastructure, bridges, concrete forms, and related public construction work.
Institutional projects include schools, hospitals, public facilities, and other large structures requiring substantial construction and finish work.
California public works uses prevailing wage determinations that vary by county, construction category, carpenter classification, and applicable project schedule.
Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCCER Carpentry Level 2 | +$1 | $2,080 | $190 | 5 weeks |
| Scaffold User/Competent Person (OSHA-aligned) | +$1 | $2,080 | $210 | 5 weeks |
| NCCER Carpentry Level 1 | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $190 | 6 weeks |
| Fall Protection Competent Person (OSHA-aligned) | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $165 | 6 weeks |
| First Aid/CPR/AED | +$0.25 | $520 | $70 | 7 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.25 | $520 | $85 | 9 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.50 | $1,040 | $170 | 9 weeks |
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $36.50/hr.
Verified positions matching this trade and location.