Pick a trade and state to see real hourly rates.
What Scaffold Competent Persons Earn in California
California employee carpenter wages span $22.83–$57.67/hr, or $47,490–$119,950 a year. They provide a broader benchmark for scaffold erectors assigned safety responsibilities. BLS reports Carpenters, SOC 47-2031, and does not isolate scaffold-only pay or a competent-person premium. Discuss the hours spent inspecting, directing corrections and reporting, together with the erection work included in your job. Agree how daily inspection coverage continues when erection work finishes.
Hourly rates by level in California
What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.
Where do you stand?
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other scaffold competent persons in California.
What are you making?
Type your hourly rate. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere — it stays in your browser.
Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.
You're right around the middle
$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.
Calculate pay with extra credentials
Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.
1Your level
2Certifications you hold
3Shift & work type
4Overtime & per diem
An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
Who pays the most in California
These national carpenter comparisons cover building employers and specialist scaffold contractors. Ask California employers how inspection coverage, erection supervision and reporting fit the paid assignment.
Nonresidential Building Construction
Commercial building work brings several trades onto shared scaffolds. Discuss who controls alterations and how you will communicate restrictions under Cal/OSHA. Include handovers when another crew needs the same platform during your shift.
Residential Building Construction
Housebuilding and remodeling require scaffold access around changing elevations. Ask how California crews maintain ties and safe access as work advances. Discuss paid inspection time when crews move equipment to another elevation.
Which states pay scaffold competent persons the most
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.
What each certification is worth
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SoCal Laborers Apprenticeship (journeyperson) | +$4.83 | $10,046 | $0 | 0 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$1.62 | $3,370 | $159 | 3 weeks |
| Fall Protection Competent Person | +$0.43 | $894 | $149 | 9 weeks |
| Scaffold Competent Person | +$0.27 | $562 | $89 |
What overtime actually adds
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $36.50/hr.
Questions workers ask
Do the experience bands establish my appointment?▾
How should I compare offers with different inspection duties?▾
What overtime questions belong in the offer discussion?▾
See Open Scaffold Competent Person Jobs in California
Verified positions matching this trade and location.
Current BLS California employee wages for Carpenters, SOC 47-2031; broader scaffold-erector benchmark, not scaffold-only pay, excluding premium pay and benefits.
Last updated October 21, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.
