Carpenter Apprenticeship in Montana

Wages, programs & career outlook

Carpenters frame buildings, install doors and windows, build cabinets, and finish out interiors — everything from stud walls to stair treads. The trade splits into rough (framing, structural) and finish (trim, cabinetry) specialties, often overlapping on a job.

MT Median Salary
$58,110/yr
-2% vs. national
National Median
$59,310/yr
MT Employment
4,240
Carpenters employed
MT Sponsors
2
Registered programs
Training Term
4.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
4.5%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
74,100
Nationally, per yr

Carpenter Apprenticeship in Montana: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered carpenter apprenticeship in Montana combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 4.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Montana pay vs. national

Median carpenter wages in Montana are $58,110/year, -2% below the national median of $59,310. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Montana has 2 registered apprenticeship sponsors for carpenter listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4.5% job growth for carpenters nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 74,100 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Montana-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Montana Wage Spread

Annual wages for Carpenters in Montana across all experience levels.

10th pct
$44,670
Median
$58,110
90th pct
$76,230
Middle 50% of workers earn $48,450$63,960

Current Carpenter Apprenticeship Openings in Montana

No carpenter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Montana. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Carpenter Apprenticeship Sponsors in Montana

2 carpenter-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for Montana. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current carpenter apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
Southwest Mountain States Carpenters Training Fund Helena San Bernardino County
Wyoming State United Brotherhood of Carpenters JA Helena Laramie County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Carpenter openings

Filter by occupation code 47-2031 and state MT for the most relevant results.

Carpenter Apprenticeship in Montana

With 2 trade-specific sponsors in our directory, Montana's Carpenter apprenticeship landscape is limited. Candidates should also consider nearby states or contact national union offices for referrals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Carpenters earn in Montana?
Carpenters in Montana earn a median salary of $58,110/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is below the national median of $59,310 for the trade.
How long is a Carpenter apprenticeship?
Most Carpenter apprenticeships run 4 years. Apprentices work under a journeyman while attending classes, typically earning wages from day one with scheduled increases.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Carpenters?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Carpenters, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
How do I find a Carpenter apprenticeship in Montana?
Contact one of the 2 Carpenter-adjacent registered sponsors in Montana (listed below), or search apprenticeship.gov for current openings. Local union halls, community colleges, and the state apprenticeship agency are good first stops.
How much do Carpenter apprentices earn?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Montana, a first-year Carpenter apprentice might earn around $29,055/yr (roughly half the $58,110 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 4-year program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Carpenters also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 15 Carpenters programs nationwide →
Too few Montana-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Carpenter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Montana

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.