Carpenter Apprenticeship in Rhode Island

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.

RI Median Salary
$60,510/yr
+2% vs. national
National Median
$59,310/yr
RI Employment
2,870
Carpenters employed
RI Sponsors
0
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 Rhode Island: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered carpenter apprenticeship in Rhode Island 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.

Rhode Island pay vs. national

Median carpenter wages in Rhode Island are $60,510/year, +2% above the national median of $59,310. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Rhode Island has 0 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 — Rhode Island-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Rhode Island Wage Spread

Annual wages for Carpenters in Rhode Island across all experience levels.

10th pct
$44,900
Median
$60,510
90th pct
$92,050
Middle 50% of workers earn $52,960$78,400

Current Carpenter Apprenticeship Openings in Rhode Island

No carpenter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Rhode Island. That doesn't mean programs don't exist — smaller regional contractors often aren't included in the national directory. 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 Rhode Island

Our directory doesn't surface Carpenter-specific registered sponsors in Rhode Island. This usually reflects a smaller regional market where sponsors use generic company names rather than trade-specific branding — it doesn't mean programs don't exist. Direct search on apprenticeship.gov is the most reliable way to find current openings.

Search apprenticeship.gov for current Carpenter openings

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

Carpenter Apprenticeship in Rhode Island

Carpenter apprenticeship opportunities in Rhode Island are best found through direct outreach: contact the relevant national union's closest local chapter, search apprenticeship.gov for current programs, or reach out to your state apprenticeship agency. Our directory reflects what sponsors self-identify by name, which can understate coverage in smaller markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Carpenters make in Rhode Island?
Carpenters in Rhode Island earn a median salary of $60,510/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is above the national median of $59,310 for the trade.
What is the length of a Carpenter apprenticeship program?
A typical Carpenter apprenticeship lasts approximately 4 years (8,000 hours of on-the-job training). The program combines paid work experience with related classroom instruction.
What's the difference between a Carpenter apprenticeship and trade school?
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 Rhode Island?
We don't have Carpenter-identified sponsors listed in Rhode Island, but that doesn't mean programs don't exist — small regional contractors often aren't identifiable by name. Start with apprenticeship.gov's job finder (filter by occupation and ZIP), then contact nearby-state IUEC/IBEW/UA/SMART locals if nothing shows up locally.
How much do Carpenter apprentices earn?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Rhode Island, a first-year Carpenter apprentice might earn around $30,255/yr (roughly half the $60,510 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 Rhode Island-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Carpenter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Rhode Island

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