Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in Maryland

Median $30.27 an hour for 9,770 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$30.27/hrMedian hourly wageMaryland, May data
$62,960/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.12 – $45.6610th to 90th percentilehourly range
9,770Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Carpenter pay in Maryland: the full range

Wage percentiles, MarylandMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrMaryland: 10th $21.12 · 25th $25.11 · median $30.27 · 75th $36.93 · 90th $45.66Maryland$30.27$21.12$45.66United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: Maryland vs United States, May 2025.

Maryland ranks 11th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 27th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.83). 9,770 carpenters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$21.12 – $25.11$43,930 – $52,220roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$25.11 – $36.93$52,220 – $76,810the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$36.93 – $45.66$76,810 – $94,970the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in Maryland

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrLexington Park: $30.23Lexington Park$30.23Baltimore: $29.99Baltimore$29.99Philadelphia: $29.70Philadelphia$29.70Washington DC: $29.23Washington DC$29.23Hagerstown: $27.21Hagerstown$27.21Salisbury: $24.23Salisbury$24.23
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in Maryland, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Lexington Park$22.65$30.23$29.99$43.53210about the same as
Baltimore$20.59$29.99$28.70$41.093,8701% below
Philadelphia$21.97$29.70$28.95$47.3414,2602% below
Washington DC$22.67$29.23$26.84$43.5613,2803% below
Hagerstown$18.46$27.21$28.89$33.9235010% below
Salisbury$18.01$24.23$25.35$33.7413020% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Carpenter wages in Maryland over time

Maryland, 1999-2025MarylandUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$30.27Maryland$29.12United States
Median hourly wage for carpenters, Maryland vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMaryland $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.98$28.95$15.3514,170
2000$15.68$29.32$15.6918,420
2001$16.11$29.29$16.0916,740
2002$16.41$29.37$16.4417,920
2003$16.58$29.01$16.4718,330
2004$16.82$28.67$16.7819,340
2005$17.07$28.14$17.1120,030
2006$18.12$28.94$17.5720,710
2007$18.83$29.24$18.1121,060
2008$19.47$29.11$18.7218,640
2009$19.71$29.58$18.9814,890
2010$20.04$29.59$19.0012,400
2011$20.43$29.24$19.2411,740
2012$20.22$28.35$19.2011,360
2013$20.27$28.01$19.4711,860
2014$21.01$28.57$19.6312,050
2015$21.36$29.01$20.2412,270
2016$22.26$29.86$20.9613,830
2017$21.98$28.87$21.7113,770
2018$22.27$28.55$22.4014,980
2019$22.83$28.75$23.2415,350
2020$23.58$29.33$23.8115,460
2021$23.33$27.72$23.2013,770
2022$26.00$28.60$24.7111,140
2023$27.54$29.10$27.099,670
2024$28.91$29.67$28.5110,460
2025$30.27$30.27$29.129,770

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in Maryland changed by +4.3% over the last ten years of data and by +5.3% since 2019.

Are there more carpenter jobs in Maryland?

-36.4%Jobs since 201915,350 then, 9,770 in 2025
-20.4%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.5Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 37th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of carpenters counted in Maryland has changed by -31.1%, against -13.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -36.4%.

Carpenters in Maryland vs United States, 1999 = 100MarylandUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages507510012515017520002005201020152020202587United States69Maryland
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Maryland vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearMaryland jobsMaryland indexUS index
199914,170100100
200018,420130111
200116,740118110
200217,920126111
200318,330129110
200419,340136114
200520,030141121
200620,710146128
200721,060149126
200818,640132117
200914,89010596
201012,4008880
201111,7408375
201211,3608074
201311,8608475
201412,0508580
201512,2708783
201613,8309888
201713,7709790
201814,98010693
201915,35010895
202015,46010991
202113,7709787
202211,1407990
20239,6706891
202410,4607490
20259,7706987

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for carpenters in Maryland

+5.3%Projected growth in Maryland2024–2034, state agency
1,060Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
13,500Jobs in 202414,220 projected for 2034
+3.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Maryland's labor market agency projects the number of carpenters in the state to change by +5.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 13,500 to 14,220, with about 1,060 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 9,770 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Maryland labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in Maryland

On federally funded construction in Maryland, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 24 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $50.64). The market median for the state is $30.27.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MDAllegany: $53.25 (survey)Anne Arundel: $50.49 (survey)Baltimore: $50.49 (survey)Calvert: $50.49 (survey)Caroline: $52.30 (survey)Carroll: $50.49 (survey)Cecil: $62.56 (survey)Charles: $50.49 (survey)Dorchester: $52.30 (survey)Frederick: $50.49 (survey)Garrett: $53.25 (survey)Harford: $50.49 (survey)Howard: $50.49 (survey)Kent: $52.30 (survey)Montgomery: $50.49 (survey)Prince George's: $50.49 (survey)Queen Anne's: $62.56 (survey)St. Mary's: $50.49 (survey)Somerset: $52.30 (survey)Talbot: $52.30 (survey)Washington: $53.25 (survey)Wicomico: $50.80 (survey)Worcester: $52.30 (survey)Baltimore: $50.49 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$52.30$52.68survey 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 (survey)$20$40$60$80/hrCecil (Philadelphia): market median $29.70, prevailing (survey) $62.56, gap +$32.86Cecil (Philadelphia)+$32.86Queen Anne's (Baltimore): market median $29.99, prevailing (survey) $62.56, gap +$32.57Queen Anne's (Baltimore)+$32.57Somerset (Salisbury): market median $24.23, prevailing (survey) $52.30, gap +$28.07Somerset (Salisbury)+$28.07Washington (Hagerstown): market median $27.21, prevailing (survey) $53.25, gap +$26.04Washington (Hagerstown)+$26.04Charles (Washington DC): market median $29.23, prevailing (survey) $50.49, gap +$21.26Charles (Washington DC)+$21.26Calvert (Lexington Park): market median $30.23, prevailing (survey) $50.49, gap +$20.26Calvert (Lexington Park)+$20.26
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in Maryland.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
Cecilstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$37.08$25.48$62.56MD20260112
Queen Anne'sstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$37.08$25.48$62.56MD20260122
Alleganystate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$30.71$22.54$53.25MD20260081
Garrettstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$30.71$22.54$53.25MD20260116
Washingtonstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$30.71$22.54$53.25MD20260126
Carolinestate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$32.87$19.43$52.30MD20260110
Dorchesterstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$32.87$19.43$52.30MD20260114
Kentstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$32.87$19.43$52.30MD20260119
Somersetstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$32.87$19.43$52.30MD20260123
Talbotstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$32.87$19.43$52.30MD20260125
Worcesterstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$32.87$19.43$52.30MD20260128
Wicomicostate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$31.68$19.12$50.80MD20260127
Anne Arundelstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.89$14.60$50.49MD20260082
Baltimorestate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.89$14.60$50.49MD20260108
Calvertstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.89$14.60$50.49MD20260109

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Maryland prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Maryland?

166.0kConstruction jobsMaryland, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025166kSep 2026
Construction employment in Maryland (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Maryland

More on Maryland

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in Maryland?

The median carpenter in Maryland earned $30.27 an hour ($62,960 a year) in May 2025, 4% above the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $25.11–$36.93; the top 10% earn more than $45.66.

Where does Maryland rank for carpenter pay?

Maryland ranks 11th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $30.27 an hour, and 27th after adjusting for Maryland's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.0, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in Maryland?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a carpenter classification for most Maryland counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many carpenters work in Maryland?

BLS counted 9,770 carpenters in Maryland in May 2025, 3.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.82; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is carpenter work growing in Maryland?

The BLS employer survey count of carpenters in Maryland went from 12,270 in 2015 to 9,770 in 2025, -20.4%, and -36.4% since 2019. Maryland's labor market agency projects +5.3% growth for carpenters between 2024 and 2034, from 13,500 to 14,220 jobs.

How many carpenter openings a year are there in Maryland?

Maryland projects about 1,060 openings a year for carpenters over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 62,800 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Maryland and metro areas, SOC 47-2031. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Maryland labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.