Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in Missouri

Median $29.25 an hour for 14,410 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$29.25/hrMedian hourly wageMissouri, May data
$60,840/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.60 – $46.3010th to 90th percentilehourly range
14,410Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Carpenter pay in Missouri: the full range

Wage percentiles, MissouriMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrMissouri: 10th $18.60 · 25th $22.85 · median $29.25 · 75th $38.74 · 90th $46.30Missouri$29.25$18.60$46.30United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: Missouri vs United States, May 2025.

Missouri ranks 22nd of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 9th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.21). 14,410 carpenters work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.5× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.60 – $22.85$38,700 – $47,520roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.85 – $38.74$47,520 – $80,570the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$38.74 – $46.30$80,570 – $96,310the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in Missouri

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSt. Louis: $34.13St. Louis$34.13Cape Girardeau: $30.64Cape Girardeau$30.64Kansas City: $29.72Kansas City$29.72St. Joseph: $28.92St. Joseph$28.92Jefferson City: $27.42Jefferson City$27.42Columbia: $27.00Columbia$27.00Springfield: $25.00Springfield$25.00Joplin: $23.34Joplin$23.34
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in Missouri, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
St. Louis$21.64$34.13$35.89$47.867,21017% above
Cape Girardeau$20.75$30.64$35.59$43.741805% above
Kansas City$21.61$29.72$32.13$46.354,5402% above
St. Joseph$18.21$28.92$33.47$42.962201% below
Jefferson City$18.72$27.42$31.16$42.004306% below
Columbia$17.37$27.00$30.20$42.275108% below
Springfield$17.47$25.00$28.22$40.8992015% below
Joplin$15.39$23.34$27.23$40.8130020% below

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

Carpenter wages in Missouri over time

Missouri, 1999-2025MissouriUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.25Missouri$29.12United States
Median hourly wage for carpenters, Missouri vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMissouri $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$16.41$31.71$15.3521,080
2000$16.67$31.17$15.6921,390
2001$17.36$31.56$16.0921,900
2002$18.86$33.75$16.4421,890
2003$19.26$33.70$16.4722,170
2004$19.68$33.54$16.7823,540
2005$19.16$31.58$17.1127,070
2006$19.18$30.63$17.5726,810
2007$20.25$31.44$18.1125,200
2008$20.17$30.16$18.7222,450
2009$19.39$29.10$18.9817,090
2010$19.47$28.75$19.0014,360
2011$20.85$29.84$19.2413,980
2012$21.58$30.26$19.2013,410
2013$23.40$32.34$19.4714,190
2014$23.57$32.05$19.6313,040
2015$24.38$33.12$20.2412,780
2016$25.54$34.26$20.9612,860
2017$26.05$34.21$21.7113,540
2018$26.14$33.51$22.4014,090
2019$26.88$33.85$23.2415,090
2020$27.19$33.82$23.8115,300
2021$24.84$29.51$23.2014,190
2022$26.79$29.47$24.7117,010
2023$28.38$29.99$27.0915,290
2024$29.40$30.17$28.5116,390
2025$29.25$29.25$29.1214,410

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in Missouri changed by -11.7% over the last ten years of data and by -13.6% since 2019.

Are there more carpenter jobs in Missouri?

-4.5%Jobs since 201915,090 then, 14,410 in 2025
+12.8%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
4.9Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.1× the US share, 24th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of carpenters counted in Missouri has changed by -31.6%, against -13.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -4.5%.

Carpenters in Missouri vs United States, 1999 = 100MissouriUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages507510012515020002005201020152020202587United States68Missouri
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Missouri vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearMissouri jobsMissouri indexUS index
199921,080100100
200021,390102111
200121,900104110
200221,890104111
200322,170105110
200423,540112114
200527,070128121
200626,810127128
200725,200120126
200822,450106117
200917,0908196
201014,3606880
201113,9806675
201213,4106474
201314,1906775
201413,0406280
201512,7806183
201612,8606188
201713,5406490
201814,0906793
201915,0907295
202015,3007391
202114,1906787
202217,0108190
202315,2907291
202416,3907890
202514,4106887

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 Missouri

+6.8%Projected growth in Missouri2024–2034, state agency
1,370Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
17,060Jobs in 202418,220 projected for 2034
+3.9%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Missouri's labor market agency projects the number of carpenters in the state to change by +6.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 17,060 to 18,220, with about 1,370 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.9% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 14,410 counted by the BLS employer survey.

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

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in Missouri

On federally funded construction in Missouri, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 109 of the 115 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $62.18 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $28.27). 3 of the 115 counties still use a survey rate dated 2010 or earlier (for example Carroll County at $31.53). The market median for the state is $29.25.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MOAdair: $53.76 (union)Andrew: $67.03 (union)Atchison: $53.76 (union)Audrain: $53.76 (union)Barry: $53.76 (union)Barton: $53.76 (union)Bates: $67.03 (union)Benton: $53.76 (union)Bollinger: $54.99 (union)Boone: $53.76 (union)Buchanan: $67.03 (union)Butler: $54.44 (union)Caldwell: $67.03 (union)Callaway: $53.76 (union)Camden: $53.76 (union)Cape Girardeau: $54.99 (union)Carroll: $31.53 (survey)Carter: $61.93 (union)Cass: $67.03 (union)Cedar: $51.00 (union)Chariton: $53.76 (union)Christian: $51.00 (union)Clark: $64.46 (union)Clay: $67.03 (union)Clinton: $67.03 (union)Cole: $53.76 (union)Cooper: $53.76 (union)Crawford: $61.93 (union)Dade: $64.46 (union)Dallas: $51.00 (union)Daviess: $64.46 (union)DeKalb: $67.03 (union)Dent: $66.04 (union)Douglas: $64.46 (union)Dunklin: $61.93 (union)Franklin: $62.18 (union)Gasconade: $66.04 (union)Gentry: $64.46 (union)Greene: $51.00 (union)Grundy: $64.46 (union)Harrison: $64.46 (union)Henry: $64.46 (union)Hickory: $64.46 (union)Holt: $64.46 (union)Howard: $53.76 (union)Howell: $61.93 (union)Iron: $61.93 (union)Jackson: $67.03 (union)Jasper: $28.27 (survey)Jefferson: $62.18 (union)Johnson: $30.75 (survey)Knox: $64.46 (union)Laclede: $64.46 (union)Lafayette: $67.03 (union)Lawrence: $26.07 (survey)Lewis: $64.46 (union)Lincoln: $62.18 (union)Linn: $64.46 (union)Livingston: $64.46 (union)McDonald: $28.27 (survey)Macon: $64.46 (union)Madison: $61.93 (union)Maries: $66.04 (union)Marion: $64.46 (union)Mercer: $64.46 (union)Miller: $66.04 (union)Mississippi: $54.44 (union)Moniteau: $53.76 (union)Monroe: $64.46 (union)Montgomery: $66.04 (union)Morgan: $66.04 (union)New Madrid: $54.44 (union)Newton: $28.27 (survey)Nodaway: $64.46 (union)Oregon: $61.93 (union)Osage: $53.76 (union)Ozark: $64.46 (union)Pemiscot: $61.93 (union)Perry: $61.93 (union)Pettis: $53.76 (union)Phelps: $66.04 (union)Pike: $64.46 (union)Platte: $67.03 (union)Polk: $51.00 (union)Pulaski: $66.04 (union)Putnam: $64.46 (union)Ralls: $57.34 (union)Randolph: $64.46 (union)Ray: $67.03 (union)Reynolds: $61.93 (union)Ripley: $54.44 (union)St. Charles: $62.18 (union)St. Clair: $64.46 (union)Ste. Genevieve: $61.93 (union)St. Francois: $61.93 (union)St. Louis: $62.18 (union)Saline: $64.46 (union)Schuyler: $64.46 (union)Scotland: $64.46 (union)Scott: $54.44 (union)Shannon: $61.93 (union)Shelby: $64.46 (union)Stoddard: $54.44 (union)Stone: $64.46 (union)Sullivan: $64.46 (union)Taney: $64.46 (union)Texas: $66.04 (union)Vernon: $61.88 (union)Warren: $62.18 (union)Washington: $62.18 (union)Wayne: $61.93 (union)Webster: $51.00 (union)Worth: $64.46 (union)Wright: $51.00 (union)St. Louis: $62.18 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$53.76$61.93$64.46survey 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/hrAndrew (St. Joseph): market median $28.92, prevailing (union) $67.03, gap +$38.11Andrew (St. Joseph)+$38.11Bates (Kansas City): market median $29.72, prevailing (union) $67.03, gap +$37.31Bates (Kansas City)+$37.31Franklin (St. Louis): market median $34.13, prevailing (union) $62.18, gap +$28.05Franklin (St. Louis)+$28.05Boone (Columbia): market median $27.00, prevailing (union) $53.76, gap +$26.76Boone (Columbia)+$26.76Callaway (Jefferson City): market median $27.42, prevailing (union) $53.76, gap +$26.34Callaway (Jefferson City)+$26.34Christian (Springfield): market median $25.00, prevailing (union) $51.00, gap +$26.00Christian (Springfield)+$26.00Bollinger (Cape Girardeau): market median $30.64, prevailing (union) $54.99, gap +$24.35Bollinger (Cape Girardeau)+$24.35Jasper (Joplin): market median $23.34, prevailing (survey) $28.27, gap +$4.93Jasper (Joplin)+$4.93
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in Missouri.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AndrewUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260081
BatesUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260082
BuchananUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260081
CaldwellUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260082
CassUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260072
ClayUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260082
ClintonUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260073
DeKalbUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260081
JacksonUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260082
LafayetteUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260082
PlatteUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260079
RayUnion CARP1011-005 2024-05-01$44.63$22.40$67.03MO20260082
DentUnion CARP0012-003 2024-05-01$44.19$21.85$66.04MO20260033
GasconadeUnion CARP0012-003 2024-05-01$44.19$21.85$66.04MO20260033
MariesUnion CARP0012-003 2024-05-01$44.19$21.85$66.04MO20260033

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Missouri prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Missouri?

163.2kConstruction jobsMissouri, 2026-09
+6.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025163kSep 2026
Construction employment in Missouri (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Missouri

More on Missouri

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in Missouri?

The median carpenter in Missouri earned $29.25 an hour ($60,840 a year) in May 2025, about the same as the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $22.85–$38.74; the top 10% earn more than $46.30.

Where does Missouri rank for carpenter pay?

Missouri ranks 22nd of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $29.25 an hour, and 9th after adjusting for Missouri's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.8, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in Missouri?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for carpenters in 109 counties, with a typical package of $62.18 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many carpenters work in Missouri?

BLS counted 14,410 carpenters in Missouri in May 2025, 4.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.14; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is carpenter work growing in Missouri?

The BLS employer survey count of carpenters in Missouri went from 12,780 in 2015 to 14,410 in 2025, +12.8%, and -4.5% since 2019. Missouri's labor market agency projects +6.8% growth for carpenters between 2024 and 2034, from 17,060 to 18,220 jobs.

How many carpenter openings a year are there in Missouri?

Missouri projects about 1,370 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, Missouri 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 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Missouri labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.