Carpenter Apprenticeship in Wisconsin

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.

WI Median Salary
$60,390/yr
+2% vs. national
National Median
$59,310/yr
WI Employment
15,330
Carpenters employed
WI Sponsors
8
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 Wisconsin: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered carpenter apprenticeship in Wisconsin 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.

Wisconsin pay vs. national

Median carpenter wages in Wisconsin are $60,390/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

Wisconsin has 8 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 — Wisconsin-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Wisconsin Wage Spread

Annual wages for Carpenters in Wisconsin across all experience levels.

10th pct
$44,480
Median
$60,390
90th pct
$88,040
Middle 50% of workers earn $49,230$80,170

Current Carpenter Apprenticeship Openings in Wisconsin

No carpenter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin

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

Organization City County
Eau Claire Area Carpentry JAC Eau Claire Eau Claire County
Northeast Wisconsin Carpentry JAC Kaukauna Outagamie County
La Crosse Area Carpentry JAC La Crosse La Crosse County
Madison Area Carpentry JAC Madison Dane County
Central Wisconsin Area Carpentry JAC Marshfield
Wausau Area Carpentry JAC Mosinee Marathon County
SE WI Area Carpentry JAC Pewaukee Waukesha County
Northern WI Carpenters Advisory Comm Rhinelander
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Carpenter openings

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

Carpenter Apprenticeship in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has only 8 Carpenter-adjacent registered sponsors in our directory — program slots may be competitive and early applications give the best shot at placement. Direct outreach to union halls in the state's largest cities often matters more than formal application windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Carpenters make in Wisconsin?
Carpenters in Wisconsin earn a median salary of $60,390/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.
Should I do a Carpenter apprenticeship or go to 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 Wisconsin?
Contact one of the 8 Carpenter-adjacent registered sponsors in Wisconsin (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 Wisconsin, a first-year Carpenter apprentice might earn around $30,195/yr (roughly half the $60,390 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 Wisconsin-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Carpenter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Wisconsin

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