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CareerOneStop and BLS May 2025 wage data show South Carolina carpenters earning $17.31 per hour at the 10th percentile, $24.36 at the median, and $38.00 at the 90th percentile.
Last updated October 1, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
Salary Guides / South Carolina
Discover South Carolina carpenter hourly rates, annual salaries, career levels, credentials, industries, and factors affecting earning potential.
Carpenters construct, install, and repair structures and fixtures, including framing, concrete forms, doors, windows, flooring, cabinets, and other wood components. CareerOneStop and BLS wage data show South Carolina carpenters earning $17.31 per hour at the 10th percentile, $24.36 at the median, and $38.00 at the 90th percentile. These figures correspond to $36,010, $50,670, and $79,040 annually. Actual pay varies with experience, specialization, location, employer, union status, overtime, and project type. South Carolina's metropolitan areas also show different wage distributions. Contractor licensing and residential specialty registration requirements can apply when a carpenter operates independently rather than working as an employee.
Rates typically increase with experience, skills, and responsibility.
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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 construction can offer different work environments and career 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 housing-related construction.
Industrial carpenters may work on structural components, concrete forms, equipment supports, and specialized construction environments.
Institutional projects include schools, hospitals, public facilities, and other large structures requiring substantial construction and finish work.
Heavy construction can involve structural carpentry, concrete forms, infrastructure projects, and other specialized construction activities.
South Carolina specifically recognizes carpentry as a residential specialty contractor classification for qualifying independent residential work.
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 $24.36/hr.
Verified positions matching this trade and location.