Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in Colorado

Median $30.21 an hour for 12,740 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$30.21/hrMedian hourly wageColorado, May data
$62,830/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.61 – $43.6210th to 90th percentilehourly range
12,740Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Carpenter pay in Colorado: the full range

Wage percentiles, ColoradoMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrColorado: 10th $22.61 · 25th $24.97 · median $30.21 · 75th $35.78 · 90th $43.62Colorado$30.21$22.61$43.62United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: Colorado vs United States, May 2025.

Colorado ranks 14th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 24th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.30). 12,740 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.61 – $24.97$47,020 – $51,940roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$24.97 – $35.78$51,940 – $74,430the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.78 – $43.62$74,430 – $90,740the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in Colorado

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrDenver: $31.21Denver$31.21Grand Junction: $28.96Grand Junction$28.96Boulder: $28.73Boulder$28.73Fort Collins: $28.04Fort Collins$28.04Greeley: $27.83Greeley$27.83Colorado Springs: $27.61Colorado Springs$27.61Pueblo: $27.00Pueblo$27.00
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in Colorado, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Denver$23.15$31.21$43.267,2503% above
Grand Junction$21.29$28.96$38.513404% below
Boulder$20.51$28.73$39.095405% below
Fort Collins$19.64$28.04$36.935107% below
Greeley$22.05$27.83$35.285608% below
Colorado Springs$20.72$27.61$37.041,2209% below
Pueblo$18.52$27.00$37.2018011% below

Carpenter wages in Colorado over time

Colorado, 1999-2025ColoradoUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.21Colorado$29.12United States
Median hourly wage for carpenters, Colorado vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearColorado $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.57$30.09$15.3513,250
2000$16.48$30.81$15.6917,770
2001$16.78$30.50$16.0916,320
2002$16.75$29.98$16.4417,050
2003$16.59$29.03$16.4717,370
2004$17.16$29.25$16.7816,100
2005$17.55$28.93$17.1117,180
2006$17.96$28.68$17.5717,150
2007$18.03$28.00$18.1117,700
2008$18.65$27.89$18.7216,710
2009$18.96$28.45$18.9814,630
2010$18.98$28.02$19.0012,520
2011$18.71$26.78$19.2411,810
2012$18.42$25.83$19.2010,960
2013$18.79$25.97$19.4710,950
2014$19.74$26.84$19.6312,720
2015$20.13$27.34$20.2413,050
2016$20.14$27.02$20.9613,410
2017$21.11$27.73$21.7113,750
2018$22.86$29.31$22.4014,170
2019$24.07$30.31$23.2414,850
2020$24.97$31.06$23.8113,600
2021$23.31$27.69$23.2014,090
2022$25.63$28.19$24.7114,690
2023$27.78$29.35$27.0915,970
2024$28.60$29.35$28.5113,840
2025$30.21$30.21$29.1212,740

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in Colorado changed by +10.5% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in Colorado

On federally funded construction in Colorado, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 50 of the 64 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $45.28 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $27.95). 14 of the 64 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Arapahoe County at $29.46). The market median for the state is $30.21.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, COAdams: $48.93 (union)Alamosa: $45.28 (union)Arapahoe: $29.46 (survey)Archuleta: $45.28 (union)Baca: $45.28 (union)Bent: $45.28 (union)Boulder: $29.45 (survey)Broomfield: $27.95 (survey)Chaffee: $45.28 (union)Cheyenne: $45.28 (union)Clear Creek: $27.95 (survey)Conejos: $45.28 (union)Costilla: $45.28 (union)Crowley: $45.28 (union)Custer: $45.28 (union)Delta: $45.28 (union)Denver: $27.40 (survey)Dolores: $45.28 (union)Douglas: $48.93 (union)Eagle: $45.28 (union)Elbert: $27.95 (survey)El Paso: $29.61 (survey)Fremont: $45.28 (union)Garfield: $45.28 (union)Gilpin: $27.95 (survey)Grand: $45.28 (union)Gunnison: $45.28 (union)Hinsdale: $45.28 (union)Huerfano: $45.28 (union)Jackson: $45.28 (union)Jefferson: $48.93 (union)Kiowa: $45.28 (union)Kit Carson: $45.28 (union)Lake: $45.28 (union)La Plata: $45.28 (union)Larimer: $26.70 (survey)Las Animas: $45.28 (union)Lincoln: $45.28 (union)Logan: $45.28 (union)Mesa: $20.53 (survey)Mineral: $45.28 (union)Moffat: $45.28 (union)Montezuma: $45.28 (union)Montrose: $45.28 (union)Morgan: $45.28 (union)Otero: $45.28 (union)Ouray: $45.28 (union)Park: $24.60 (survey)Phillips: $45.28 (union)Pitkin: $45.28 (union)Prowers: $45.28 (union)Pueblo: $20.64 (survey)Rio Blanco: $45.28 (union)Rio Grande: $45.28 (union)Routt: $45.28 (union)Saguache: $45.28 (union)San Juan: $45.28 (union)San Miguel: $45.28 (union)Sedgwick: $45.28 (union)Summit: $45.28 (union)Teller: $29.61 (survey)Washington: $45.28 (union)Weld: $18.22 (survey)Yuma: $45.28 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$29.61$45.28survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for carpenters by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrAdams (Denver): market median $31.21, prevailing (union) $48.93, gap +$17.72Adams (Denver)+$17.72El Paso (Colorado Springs): market median $27.61, prevailing (survey) $29.61, gap +$2.00El Paso (Colorado Springs)+$2.00Boulder (Boulder): market median $28.73, prevailing (survey) $29.45, gap +$0.72Boulder (Boulder)+$0.72Larimer (Fort Collins): market median $28.04, prevailing (survey) $26.70, gap −$1.34Larimer (Fort Collins)−$1.34Pueblo (Pueblo): market median $27.00, prevailing (survey) $20.64, gap −$6.36Pueblo (Pueblo)−$6.36Mesa (Grand Junction): market median $28.96, prevailing (survey) $20.53, gap −$8.43Mesa (Grand Junction)−$8.43Weld (Greeley): market median $27.83, prevailing (survey) $18.22, gap −$9.61Weld (Greeley)−$9.61
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in Colorado.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion CARP0055-004 2025-05-01$35.09$13.84$48.93CO20260015
DouglasUnion CARP0055-005 2025-05-01$35.09$13.84$48.93CO20260021
JeffersonUnion CARP0055-004 2025-05-01$35.09$13.84$48.93CO20260023
AlamosaUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
ArchuletaUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
BacaUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
BentUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
ChaffeeUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
CheyenneUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
ConejosUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
CostillaUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
CrowleyUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
CusterUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
DeltaUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001
DoloresUnion CARP9901-006 2024-05-01$33.11$12.17$45.28CO20260001

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Colorado prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Colorado?

191.1kConstruction jobsColorado, 2026-08
+1.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025191kAug 2026
Construction employment in Colorado (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Colorado

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in Colorado?

The median carpenter in Colorado earned $30.21 an hour ($62,830 a year) in May 2025, 4% above the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $24.97–$35.78; the top 10% earn more than $43.62.

Where does Colorado rank for carpenter pay?

Colorado ranks 14th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $30.21 an hour, and 24th after adjusting for Colorado's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.1, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in Colorado?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for carpenters in 50 counties, with a typical package of $45.28 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many carpenters work in Colorado?

BLS counted 12,740 carpenters in Colorado in May 2025, 4.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.03; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Colorado and metro areas, SOC 47-2031.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.