Home › Trades › Carpenters

Carpenters

15 schools compared · Average earnings $37,206/yr

What Carpenters Graduates Do

You’ll start your career with a tool belt strapped on, working on residential or commercial job sites. Your days will involve reading blueprints, measuring and cutting lumber with power saws, and framing walls or building staircases with precision. As your skills sharpen, you’ll advance from an apprentice to a journeyman carpenter, trusted with more complex projects like custom cabinetry or detailed finish work. This is hands-on work that can’t be automated or done from a desk; you are physically building and shaping the world.

From there, your path can branch. Many experienced carpenters move into leadership as a first-line supervisor, trading some tool time for a larger role in running the job site. Supervisors coordinate crews, order materials, enforce safety protocols, and solve problems to keep projects on schedule. This management path offers a significant jump in earnings. With tens of thousands of new positions opening annually for both skilled carpenters and supervisors, you are stepping into a field with high, consistent demand for your expertise.

Schools Offering

Avg Grad Earnings

$37,206/yr

Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score

52/100

AI-Proof Rating

Resilient

73% of tasks AI-shielded

Apprenticeship Paths

View pathways ↓

Registered Apprenticeship Pathways

The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 37 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Carpenters. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.

Apprenticeship	Training Hours	Type	Salary RangeSalary	Growth
Boat Builder (Existing Title: Boat Builder, Wood) RAPIDS 0036	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Boatbuilder, Wood RAPIDS 0036HY	5200-8000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Bridge Carpenter-Heavy Highway (Existing Title: Carpenter, Rough) RAPIDS 0069	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Bridge Carpenter-Heavy Highway (Existing Title: Carpenter, Rough) RAPIDS 0069R-HY	5200-8000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter RAPIDS 0067HY	5200-8000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter RAPIDS 67	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter Commercial Interior Spec RAPIDS 0653CL	5000 hrs ~2.5 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter Roofer Specialist (Existing Title: Roofer) RAPIDS 0480HY	3900-6000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter, Interior Systems (Alternate Title: Interior Systems Carpenter) RAPIDS 653	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter, Interior Systems (Alternate Title: Interior Systems Carpenter) RAPIDS 0653HY	5200-8000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter, Maintenance RAPIDS 68	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter, Mold RAPIDS 762	2000 hrs ~1.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter, Piledriver RAPIDS 1009	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter, Piledriver RAPIDS 1009HY	5200-8000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter, Rough RAPIDS 69	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Carpenter, Ship RAPIDS 70	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Dock And Wharf Builder RAPIDS 1009R	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Dock And Wharf Builder RAPIDS 1009R-HY	5200-8000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Form Builder (Const) RAPIDS 206	4000 hrs ~2.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Form Builder (Const) RAPIDS 0206HY	3350-4600 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Form Builder Carpenter (Existing Title: Form Builder) RAPIDS 0206R	6000 hrs ~3.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Form Builder Carpenter (Existing Title: Form Builder) RAPIDS 0206R1-HY	3900-6000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Joiner (Ship & Boat Bldg) RAPIDS 264	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Lathing Specialist (Existing Title: Lather) RAPIDS 0272	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Lathing Specialist (Existing Title: Lather) RAPIDS 0272HY	3900-6000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Pile Driver RAPIDS 1009R1	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Pile Driver RAPIDS 1009R1-HY	5200-8000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Prop Maker (Amuse & Rec) RAPIDS 455	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Residential Carpenter RAPIDS 564	4000 hrs ~2.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Residential Carpenter RAPIDS 0564HY	3645-4000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Residential Carpenter Specialist (Existing Title: Residential Carpenter) RAPIDS 0564R	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Residential Carpenter Specialist (Existing Title: Residential Carpenter) RAPIDS 0564R-HY	3900-6000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Scaffold Erector (Existing Title: Carpenter, Rough) RAPIDS 0069R	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Scaffold Erector (Existing Title: Carpenter, Rough) RAPIDS 0069R-HY	5200-8000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Shipwright (Existing Title: Shipwright (Ship & Boat)) (Military Only) RAPIDS 0979R	5920 hrs ~3.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Shipwright (Ship & Boat) RAPIDS 0979	8000 hrs ~4.0 yrs	Time	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%
Timber Framer (Existing Title: Carpenter, Rough) RAPIDS 0069HY	5000-7000 hrs	Hybrid	$48K – $59,310 – $76K	4.5%

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.

Best Schools for Carpenters

15 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and AI-proof analysis.

#	School	Score	EarningsEarn	ROI
1	Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN	74 66–76	$51,104/yr	89.1x
2	St Cloud Technical and Community College Saint Cloud, MN	72 69–73	$43,440/yr	86.6x
3	Western Technical College La Crosse, WI	72 69–73	$43,008/yr	90.2x
4	Austin Community College District Austin, TX	68 65–69	$38,268/yr	74.0x
5	Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA	63 61–64	$34,421/yr	61.0x
6	Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA	62 60–63	$44,602/yr	34.4x
7	Ridgewater College Willmar, MN	62 59–62	$33,969/yr	54.6x
8	North Bennet Street School Boston, MA	58 54–59	$39,058/yr	—
9	Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Lancaster, PA	57 51–58	$37,611/yr	27.9x
10	Triangle Tech Inc-Greensburg Greensburg, PA	53 49–54	$40,572/yr	10.0x
11	Triangle Tech Inc-Bethlehem Bethlehem, PA	53 49–54	$40,572/yr	9.9x
12	Ranken Technical College Saint Louis, MO	51 46–52	$35,975/yr	13.2x
13	Triangle Tech Inc-Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA	50 46–51	$35,877/yr	9.3x
14	City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Chicago, IL	47 45–48	$17,697/yr	39.4x
15	Orleans Technical College Philadelphia, PA	46 42–47	$21,916/yr	—

Highest Earning Carpenters Programs

Schools where Carpenters graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School	1-Year Earnings	Score
Ivy Tech Community College	$51,104/yr	74
Hawkeye Community College	$44,602/yr	62
St Cloud Technical and Community College	$43,440/yr	72
Western Technical College	$43,008/yr	72
Triangle Tech Inc-Greensburg	$40,572/yr	53
Triangle Tech Inc-Bethlehem	$40,572/yr	53
North Bennet Street School	$39,058/yr	58
Austin Community College District	$38,268/yr	68
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology	$37,611/yr	57
Ranken Technical College	$35,975/yr	51

Best ROI for Carpenters

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Carpenters.

School	ROI Multiple	Earnings	Score
Western Technical College	90.2x	$43,008/yr	72
Ivy Tech Community College	89.1x	$51,104/yr	74
St Cloud Technical and Community College	86.6x	$43,440/yr	72
Austin Community College District	74.0x	$38,268/yr	68
Des Moines Area Community College	61.0x	$34,421/yr	63
Ridgewater College	54.6x	$33,969/yr	62
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College	39.4x	$17,697/yr	47
Hawkeye Community College	34.4x	$44,602/yr	62
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology	27.9x	$37,611/yr	57
Ranken Technical College	13.2x	$35,975/yr	51

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Carpenters graduates make in their first year?

The median first-year salary across 15 Carpenters programs is $37,206. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($17,697) and highest ($51,104) earning programs is significant.

How AI-proof is a career in Carpenters?

Our analysis rates Carpenters as "Resilient" for automation risk. With 73% of tasks requiring physical presence or manual skill, the vast majority of the work in this trade remains beyond AI's reach.

Where should I study Carpenters?

Ivy Tech Community College leads all 15 programs with a TradeSchoolOutlook Score of 74/100. Graduates earn $51,104/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.

Do Carpenters graduates get a good return on their tuition?

On average, Carpenters graduates earn 46.1x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a strong return on investment.

Data from College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034, DOL RAPIDS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →