Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in Kentucky

Median $25.33 an hour for 8,540 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$25.33/hrMedian hourly wageKentucky, May data
$52,680/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.67 – $35.0810th to 90th percentilehourly range
8,540Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Carpenter pay in Kentucky: the full range

Wage percentiles, KentuckyMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrKentucky: 10th $17.67 · 25th $22.09 · median $25.33 · 75th $29.45 · 90th $35.08Kentucky$25.33$17.67$35.08United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: Kentucky vs United States, May 2025.

Kentucky ranks 35th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 32nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.08). 8,540 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$17.67 – $22.09$36,760 – $45,940roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.09 – $29.45$45,940 – $61,260the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.45 – $35.08$61,260 – $72,960the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in Kentucky

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrCincinnati: $28.90Cincinnati$28.90Louisville: $27.17Louisville$27.17Bowling Green: $25.33Bowling Green$25.33Owensboro: $25.17Owensboro$25.17Lexington: $25.01Lexington$25.01Huntington: $25.00Huntington$25.00Paducah: $24.86Paducah$24.86Clarksville: $23.60Clarksville$23.60Elizabethtown: $23.59Elizabethtown$23.59
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in Kentucky, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Cincinnati$21.24$28.90$38.344,61014% above
Louisville$18.74$27.17$36.232,9907% above
Bowling Green$18.08$25.33$29.58480about the same as
Owensboro$16.99$25.17$36.062101% below
Lexington$18.11$25.01$36.221,2001% below
Huntington$17.24$25.00$33.907801% below
Paducah$17.47$24.86$35.253102% below
Clarksville$17.44$23.60$31.282907% below
Elizabethtown$17.07$23.59$33.291907% below

Carpenter wages in Kentucky over time

Kentucky, 1999-2025KentuckyUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.12United States$25.33Kentucky
Median hourly wage for carpenters, Kentucky vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearKentucky $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.60$24.35$15.3510,670
2000$13.96$26.10$15.699,380
2001$14.29$25.98$16.099,160
2002$14.95$26.75$16.448,920
2003$14.98$26.21$16.478,560
2004$15.35$26.16$16.788,630
2005$14.86$24.50$17.119,050
2006$15.08$24.08$17.578,900
2007$15.23$23.65$18.119,090
2008$15.98$23.89$18.729,050
2009$16.36$24.55$18.988,240
2010$16.39$24.20$19.008,260
2011$16.57$23.72$19.246,900
2012$16.36$22.94$19.206,480
2013$17.38$24.02$19.476,350
2014$17.83$24.25$19.636,800
2015$18.34$24.91$20.246,740
2016$18.53$24.86$20.966,360
2017$19.06$25.03$21.717,070
2018$20.70$26.54$22.407,510
2019$20.85$26.26$23.247,610
2020$21.32$26.52$23.817,350
2021$22.42$26.64$23.207,340
2022$23.25$25.58$24.717,680
2023$24.08$25.44$27.097,820
2024$24.45$25.09$28.518,200
2025$25.33$25.33$29.128,540

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in Kentucky changed by +1.7% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in Kentucky

On federally funded construction in Kentucky, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 31 of the 120 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $50.34 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $32.98). 89 of the 120 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Allen County at $18.67). The market median for the state is $25.33.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, KYAdair: $50.34 (union)Allen: $18.67 (survey)Anderson: $32.78 (survey)Ballard: $32.98 (survey)Barren: $50.34 (union)Bath: $32.78 (survey)Bell: $37.32 (survey)Boone: $33.66 (survey)Bourbon: $29.39 (survey)Boyd: $63.61 (union)Boyle: $32.78 (survey)Bracken: $33.68 (survey)Breathitt: $37.32 (survey)Breckinridge: $32.98 (survey)Bullitt: $53.14 (union)Butler: $18.67 (survey)Caldwell: $32.98 (survey)Calloway: $32.98 (survey)Campbell: $51.50 (union)Carlisle: $32.98 (survey)Carroll: $32.78 (survey)Carter: $37.32 (survey)Casey: $50.34 (union)Christian: $28.88 (survey)Clark: $29.39 (survey)Clay: $37.32 (survey)Clinton: $50.34 (union)Crittenden: $32.98 (survey)Cumberland: $50.34 (union)Daviess: $33.82 (survey)Edmonson: $18.67 (survey)Elliott: $37.32 (survey)Estill: $32.78 (survey)Fayette: $28.92 (survey)Fleming: $32.78 (survey)Floyd: $37.32 (survey)Franklin: $32.78 (survey)Fulton: $32.98 (survey)Gallatin: $33.68 (survey)Garrard: $32.78 (survey)Grant: $33.68 (survey)Graves: $32.98 (survey)Grayson: $32.98 (survey)Green: $50.34 (union)Greenup: $63.61 (union)Hancock: $33.82 (survey)Hardin: $31.31 (survey)Harlan: $37.32 (survey)Harrison: $32.78 (survey)Hart: $50.34 (union)Henderson: $24.50 (survey)Henry: $53.14 (union)Hickman: $32.98 (survey)Hopkins: $32.98 (survey)Jackson: $37.32 (survey)Jefferson: $53.14 (union)Jessamine: $29.39 (survey)Johnson: $37.32 (survey)Kenton: $36.22 (survey)Knott: $37.32 (survey)Knox: $50.34 (union)Larue: $31.31 (survey)Laurel: $50.34 (union)Lawrence: $37.32 (survey)Lee: $37.32 (survey)Leslie: $37.32 (survey)Letcher: $37.32 (survey)Lewis: $32.78 (survey)Lincoln: $32.78 (survey)Livingston: $32.98 (survey)Logan: $50.34 (union)Lyon: $32.98 (survey)McCracken: $32.98 (survey)McCreary: $50.34 (union)McLean: $33.82 (survey)Madison: $32.78 (survey)Magoffin: $37.32 (survey)Marion: $50.34 (union)Marshall: $32.98 (survey)Martin: $37.32 (survey)Mason: $32.78 (survey)Meade: $31.31 (survey)Menifee: $32.78 (survey)Mercer: $32.78 (survey)Metcalfe: $50.34 (union)Monroe: $50.34 (union)Montgomery: $32.78 (survey)Morgan: $37.32 (survey)Muhlenberg: $32.98 (survey)Nelson: $53.14 (union)Nicholas: $32.78 (survey)Ohio: $32.98 (survey)Oldham: $53.14 (union)Owen: $32.78 (survey)Owsley: $37.32 (survey)Pendleton: $33.68 (survey)Perry: $37.32 (survey)Pike: $37.32 (survey)Powell: $32.78 (survey)Pulaski: $50.34 (union)Robertson: $32.78 (survey)Rockcastle: $32.78 (survey)Rowan: $32.78 (survey)Russell: $50.34 (union)Scott: $29.39 (survey)Shelby: $53.14 (union)Simpson: $50.34 (union)Spencer: $53.14 (union)Taylor: $50.34 (union)Todd: $32.98 (survey)Trigg: $30.89 (survey)Trimble: $53.14 (union)Union: $32.98 (survey)Warren: $18.67 (survey)Washington: $32.78 (survey)Wayne: $50.34 (union)Webster: $24.50 (survey)Whitley: $50.34 (union)Wolfe: $37.32 (survey)Woodford: $29.39 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$32.78$32.98$37.32$50.34survey 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)$0$20$40$60$80/hrBoyd (Huntington): market median $25.00, prevailing (union) $63.61, gap +$38.61Boyd (Huntington)+$38.61Bullitt (Louisville): market median $27.17, prevailing (union) $53.14, gap +$25.97Bullitt (Louisville)+$25.97Campbell (Cincinnati): market median $28.90, prevailing (union) $51.50, gap +$22.60Campbell (Cincinnati)+$22.60Daviess (Owensboro): market median $25.17, prevailing (survey) $33.82, gap +$8.65Daviess (Owensboro)+$8.65Ballard (Paducah): market median $24.86, prevailing (survey) $32.98, gap +$8.12Ballard (Paducah)+$8.12Hardin (Elizabethtown): market median $23.59, prevailing (survey) $31.31, gap +$7.72Hardin (Elizabethtown)+$7.72Trigg (Clarksville): market median $23.60, prevailing (survey) $30.89, gap +$7.29Trigg (Clarksville)+$7.29Bourbon (Lexington): market median $25.01, prevailing (survey) $29.39, gap +$4.38Bourbon (Lexington)+$4.38Allen (Bowling Green): market median $25.33, prevailing (survey) $18.67, gap −$6.66Allen (Bowling Green)−$6.66
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in Kentucky.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BoydUnion CARP0472-005 2025-06-01$37.04$26.57$63.61KY20260101
GreenupUnion CARP0472-005 2025-06-01$37.04$26.57$63.61KY20260101
BullittUnion CARP0175-001 2025-06-01$30.80$22.34$53.14KY20260087
HenryUnion CARP0175-001 2025-06-01$30.80$22.34$53.14KY20260104
JeffersonUnion CARP0175-001 2025-06-01$30.80$22.34$53.14KY20260093
NelsonUnion CARP0175-001 2025-06-01$30.80$22.34$53.14KY20260096
OldhamUnion CARP0175-001 2025-06-01$30.80$22.34$53.14KY20260104
ShelbyUnion CARP0175-001 2025-06-01$30.80$22.34$53.14KY20260106
SpencerUnion CARP0175-001 2025-06-01$30.80$22.34$53.14KY20260106
TrimbleUnion CARP0175-001 2025-06-01$30.80$22.34$53.14KY20260106
CampbellUnion CARP0002-020 2024-06-01$32.26$19.24$51.50KY20260088
AdairUnion CARP1650-004 2024-06-01$32.25$18.09$50.34KY20260037
BarrenUnion CARP1650-010 2024-06-01$32.25$18.09$50.34KY20260042
CaseyUnion CARP1650-010 2024-06-01$32.25$18.09$50.34KY20260042
ClintonUnion CARP1650-010 2024-06-01$32.25$18.09$50.34KY20260042

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

Is construction work growing in Kentucky?

96.4kConstruction jobsKentucky, 2026-08
+1.3%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202640k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202596kAug 2026
Construction employment in Kentucky (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Kentucky

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in Kentucky?

The median carpenter in Kentucky earned $25.33 an hour ($52,680 a year) in May 2025, 13% below the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $22.09–$29.45; the top 10% earn more than $35.08.

Where does Kentucky rank for carpenter pay?

Kentucky ranks 35th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $25.33 an hour, and 32nd after adjusting for Kentucky's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.2, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in Kentucky?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for carpenters in 31 counties, with a typical package of $50.34 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many carpenters work in Kentucky?

BLS counted 8,540 carpenters in Kentucky in May 2025, 4.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.99; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Kentucky 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.