Helpers--Carpenters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for helpers--carpenters in the U.S. is $43,780 ($21.05 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $43,780
- Mean annual wage
- $44,050
- Median hourly wage
- $21.05
- Employment
- 21,680
21,680 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,660 | $15.22 |
| 25th percentile | $36,730 | $17.66 |
| Median (50th) | $43,780 | $21.05 |
| 75th percentile | $49,400 | $23.75 |
| 90th percentile | $57,670 | $27.73 |
Highest-paying states for helpers--carpenters
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $58,090 | — |
| Colorado | $50,900 | 200 |
| Connecticut | $50,460 | 200 |
| Rhode Island | $50,300 | — |
| Maine | $50,100 | 160 |
| California | $49,890 | 2,670 |
| Massachusetts | $48,130 | 630 |
| New York | $47,740 | 1,110 |
| Arkansas | $46,800 | 100 |
| Washington | $46,060 | 620 |
Lowest-paying states
- Missouri: $32,420 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $33,760 median annual wage
- Delaware: $33,920 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $34,700 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $35,360 median annual wage
About this occupation
Help carpenters by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
Typical tasks
- Drill holes in timbers or lumber.
- Align, straighten, plumb, or square forms for installation.
- Hold plumb bobs, sighting rods, or other equipment to aid in establishing reference points and lines.
- Install handrails under the direction of a carpenter.
- Smooth or sand surfaces to remove ridges, tool marks, glue, or caulking.
- Secure stakes to grids for constructions of footings, nail scabs to footing forms, and vibrate and float concrete.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 30.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 40.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.5% |
| Associate's degree | 6.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.0% |
| Master's degree | 0.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Construction Laborers$47,120
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920
- Electricians$63,190
- Carpenters$60,580
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,020
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.