Carpenter vs electrician: who earns more
Pay, range, growth and a state map of which trade earns more, from BLS May 2025 data.
Carpenter vs electrician: the numbers
| Carpenter | Electrician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $29.12 | $30.38 |
| Median annual pay | $60,580 | $63,190 |
| 10th percentile (entry) | $19.43 | $20.50 |
| 90th percentile (top) | $48.03 | $52.17 |
| Jobs nationwide | 670,090 | 757,220 |
| Projected growth 2025-35 | +3.9% | +9.2% |
| Openings per year | 62,800 | 72,700 |
| 10-year real wage change | +5.9% | -10.3% |
| States where this trade pays more | 1 | 47 |
| States about even (within $0.50) | 3 | 3 |
Which pays more where you live
| State | Carpenter $/hr | Electrician $/hr | Pays more, by how much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $30.23 | $48.71 | Electrician +$18.48 |
| Washington | $35.67 | $45.78 | Electrician +$10.11 |
| Illinois | $37.98 | $47.87 | Electrician +$9.89 |
| Wyoming | $27.33 | $36.59 | Electrician +$9.26 |
| Montana | $28.28 | $36.90 | Electrician +$8.62 |
| District of Columbia | $29.67 | $37.97 | Electrician +$8.30 |
| West Virginia | $23.42 | $31.16 | Electrician +$7.74 |
| Alaska | $35.51 | $43.00 | Electrician +$7.49 |
| Wisconsin | $29.65 | $36.80 | Electrician +$7.15 |
| Michigan | $29.66 | $36.67 | Electrician +$7.01 |
| Oklahoma | $22.55 | $29.33 | Electrician +$6.78 |
| Connecticut | $30.80 | $37.28 | Electrician +$6.48 |
| New Jersey | $30.77 | $37.14 | Electrician +$6.37 |
| South Dakota | $23.14 | $29.51 | Electrician +$6.37 |
| Rhode Island | $29.25 | $35.62 | Electrician +$6.37 |
| Maine | $29.88 | $36.24 | Electrician +$6.36 |
| Minnesota | $31.22 | $37.58 | Electrician +$6.36 |
| Mississippi | $23.39 | $29.26 | Electrician +$5.87 |
| Louisiana | $24.00 | $29.59 | Electrician +$5.59 |
| Hawaii | $41.00 | $46.38 | Electrician +$5.38 |
| Nevada | $29.99 | $35.37 | Electrician +$5.38 |
| Idaho | $25.00 | $30.29 | Electrician +$5.29 |
| Maryland | $30.27 | $35.33 | Electrician +$5.06 |
| Nebraska | $24.19 | $29.24 | Electrician +$5.05 |
| Tennessee | $24.44 | $29.37 | Electrician +$4.93 |
| Texas | $23.51 | $28.16 | Electrician +$4.65 |
| Utah | $25.17 | $29.81 | Electrician +$4.64 |
| Georgia | $23.72 | $28.04 | Electrician +$4.32 |
| Kansas | $27.39 | $31.66 | Electrician +$4.27 |
| Pennsylvania | $28.54 | $32.50 | Electrician +$3.96 |
| South Carolina | $24.36 | $28.24 | Electrician +$3.88 |
| North Dakota | $27.83 | $31.59 | Electrician +$3.76 |
| North Carolina | $23.61 | $27.31 | Electrician +$3.70 |
| Alabama | $23.18 | $26.78 | Electrician +$3.60 |
| Florida | $23.98 | $27.52 | Electrician +$3.54 |
| Virginia | $26.77 | $30.24 | Electrician +$3.47 |
| Kentucky | $25.33 | $28.71 | Electrician +$3.38 |
| New York | $34.77 | $37.86 | Electrician +$3.09 |
| Indiana | $30.23 | $32.93 | Electrician +$2.70 |
| Missouri | $29.25 | $31.45 | Electrician +$2.20 |
| Delaware | $28.46 | $30.63 | Electrician +$2.17 |
| Massachusetts | $36.16 | $38.18 | Electrician +$2.02 |
| Ohio | $29.24 | $31.11 | Electrician +$1.87 |
| Iowa | $27.75 | $29.26 | Electrician +$1.51 |
| Arizona | $28.17 | $29.36 | Electrician +$1.19 |
| New Hampshire | $29.42 | $30.21 | Electrician +$0.79 |
| New Mexico | $28.71 | $28.07 | Carpenter +$0.64 |
| Arkansas | $22.96 | $23.59 | Electrician +$0.63 |
| Vermont | $30.00 | $30.49 | About even ($0.49) |
| Colorado | $30.21 | $29.92 | About even ($0.29) |
| California | $36.50 | $36.62 | About even ($0.12) |
Questions this page answers
Who makes more, carpenters or electricians?
Nationally, Electricians: a median of $30.38 an hour against $29.12 for carpenters, a gap of $1.26 an hour in May 2025. Carpenters earn more in 1 states, electricians in 47, and the two are within $0.50 an hour in 3.
Which has the better outlook, carpenters or electricians?
BLS projects +3.9% growth for carpenters and +9.2% for electricians over 2025-35, with 62,800 and 72,700 openings a year respectively.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; BLS Employment Projections; CPI-U.