Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in New York

Median $34.77 an hour for 40,630 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$34.77/hrMedian hourly wageNew York, May data
$72,330/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.53 – $58.8410th to 90th percentilehourly range
40,630Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Carpenter pay in New York: the full range

Wage percentiles, New YorkMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrNew York: 10th $22.53 · 25th $27.56 · median $34.77 · 75th $43.18 · 90th $58.84New York$34.77$22.53$58.84United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: New York vs United States, May 2025.

New York ranks 7th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 8th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.22). 40,630 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.53 – $27.56$46,860 – $57,330roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$27.56 – $43.18$57,330 – $89,820the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$43.18 – $58.84$89,820 – $122,400the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in New York

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrNew York City: $35.72New York City$35.72Poughkeepsie: $30.55Poughkeepsie$30.55Buffalo: $30.53Buffalo$30.53Syracuse: $29.93Syracuse$29.93Binghamton: $29.81Binghamton$29.81Elmira: $29.42Elmira$29.42Kingston: $29.40Kingston$29.40Albany: $29.19Albany$29.19Ithaca: $29.17Ithaca$29.17Utica: $28.62Utica$28.62Rochester: $28.60Rochester$28.60Glens Falls: $28.16Glens Falls$28.16
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in New York, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
New York City$22.53$35.72$59.5234,2103% above
Poughkeepsie$22.59$30.55$42.712,14012% below
Buffalo$20.51$30.53$40.082,44012% below
Syracuse$21.66$29.93$42.901,49014% below
Binghamton$19.49$29.81$49.3440014% below
Elmira$22.49$29.42$42.559015% below
Kingston$21.96$29.40$42.8428015% below
Albany$23.20$29.19$43.982,00016% below
Ithaca$22.64$29.17$38.4819016% below
Utica$21.37$28.62$38.4638018% below
Rochester$21.33$28.60$39.752,35018% below
Glens Falls$21.09$28.16$37.3730019% below
Watertown$20.42$27.81$36.6727020% below

Carpenter wages in New York over time

New York, 1999-2025New YorkUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$34.77New York$29.12United States
Median hourly wage for carpenters, New York vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNew York $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$19.32$37.33$15.3541,550
2000$18.29$34.19$15.6948,960
2001$18.02$32.76$16.0951,900
2002$18.48$33.07$16.4448,520
2003$18.45$32.28$16.4750,000
2004$19.09$32.54$16.7850,170
2005$20.15$33.22$17.1148,240
2006$21.21$33.87$17.5750,560
2007$21.88$33.97$18.1153,830
2008$22.50$33.64$18.7259,370
2009$23.15$34.74$18.9855,070
2010$23.08$34.08$19.0050,180
2011$23.49$33.62$19.2445,380
2012$23.90$33.51$19.2044,990
2013$24.29$33.57$19.4743,290
2014$24.66$33.54$19.6346,400
2015$25.01$33.97$20.2447,960
2016$25.77$34.57$20.9648,220
2017$26.54$34.86$21.7147,220
2018$26.36$33.80$22.4050,200
2019$27.65$34.82$23.2452,640
2020$28.03$34.87$23.8144,620
2021$28.85$34.28$23.2041,290
2022$29.95$32.95$24.7139,570
2023$28.77$30.40$27.0947,740
2024$30.61$31.42$28.5144,500
2025$34.77$34.77$29.1240,630

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in New York changed by +2.4% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in New York

On federally funded construction in New York, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 62 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $57.84 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $45.74). 1 of the 62 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Jefferson County at $41.55). The market median for the state is $34.77.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NYAlbany: $61.03 (union)Allegany: $52.17 (union)Bronx: $107.13 (union)Broome: $53.61 (union)Cattaraugus: $52.17 (union)Cayuga: $54.61 (union)Chautauqua: $52.17 (union)Chemung: $54.83 (union)Chenango: $57.84 (union)Clinton: $53.69 (union)Columbia: $60.45 (survey)Cortland: $54.83 (union)Delaware: $57.84 (union)Dutchess: $75.95 (union)Erie: $63.34 (union)Essex: $45.74 (survey)Franklin: $45.74 (survey)Fulton: $51.02 (survey)Genesee: $60.20 (union)Greene: $57.42 (survey)Hamilton: $45.74 (survey)Herkimer: $52.17 (union)Jefferson: $41.55 (survey)Kings: $107.13 (union)Lewis: $55.83 (union)Livingston: $52.24 (union)Madison: $54.61 (union)Monroe: $56.70 (union)Montgomery: $45.74 (survey)Nassau: $107.13 (union)New York: $107.13 (union)Niagara: $60.20 (union)Oneida: $54.61 (union)Onondaga: $54.91 (union)Ontario: $56.70 (union)Orange: $75.95 (union)Orleans: $60.20 (union)Oswego: $55.83 (union)Otsego: $57.84 (union)Putnam: $81.85 (union)Queens: $107.13 (union)Rensselaer: $61.03 (union)Richmond: $107.13 (union)Rockland: $81.85 (union)St. Lawrence: $55.83 (union)Saratoga: $61.03 (union)Schenectady: $61.03 (union)Schoharie: $61.03 (union)Schuyler: $44.45 (survey)Seneca: $54.61 (union)Steuben: $54.83 (union)Suffolk: $107.13 (union)Sullivan: $75.95 (union)Tioga: $53.61 (union)Tompkins: $54.83 (union)Ulster: $75.95 (union)Warren: $61.03 (union)Washington: $61.03 (union)Wayne: $56.70 (union)Westchester: $81.85 (union)Wyoming: $44.45 (survey)Yates: $54.61 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$52.51$54.86$60.20$75.95survey 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$25$50$75$100$125/hrBronx (New York City): market median $35.72, prevailing (union) $107.13, gap +$71.41Bronx (New York City)+$71.41Ulster (Kingston): market median $29.40, prevailing (union) $75.95, gap +$46.55Ulster (Kingston)+$46.55Dutchess (Poughkeepsie): market median $30.55, prevailing (union) $75.95, gap +$45.40Dutchess (Poughkeepsie)+$45.40Warren (Glens Falls): market median $28.16, prevailing (union) $61.03, gap +$32.87Warren (Glens Falls)+$32.87Erie (Buffalo): market median $30.53, prevailing (union) $63.34, gap +$32.81Erie (Buffalo)+$32.81Albany (Albany): market median $29.19, prevailing (union) $61.03, gap +$31.84Albany (Albany)+$31.84Orleans (Rochester): market median $28.60, prevailing (union) $60.20, gap +$31.60Orleans (Rochester)+$31.60Oneida (Utica): market median $28.62, prevailing (union) $54.61, gap +$25.99Oneida (Utica)+$25.99Oswego (Syracuse): market median $29.93, prevailing (union) $55.83, gap +$25.90Oswego (Syracuse)+$25.90Tompkins (Ithaca): market median $29.17, prevailing (union) $54.83, gap +$25.66Tompkins (Ithaca)+$25.66Chemung (Elmira): market median $29.42, prevailing (union) $54.83, gap +$25.41Chemung (Elmira)+$25.41Broome (Binghamton): market median $29.81, prevailing (union) $53.61, gap +$23.80Broome (Binghamton)+$23.80Jefferson (Watertown): market median $27.81, prevailing (survey) $41.55, gap +$13.74Jefferson (Watertown)+$13.74
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in New York.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BronxUnion CARP2287-004 2025-07-01$59.05$48.08$107.13NY20260003
KingsUnion CARP2287-004 2025-07-01$59.05$48.08$107.13NY20260003
NassauUnion CARP2287-003 2025-07-01$59.05$48.08$107.13NY20260012
New YorkUnion CARP2287-004 2025-07-01$59.05$48.08$107.13NY20260003
QueensUnion CARP2287-004 2025-07-01$59.05$48.08$107.13NY20260003
RichmondUnion CARP2287-004 2025-07-01$59.05$48.08$107.13NY20260003
SuffolkUnion CARP2287-003 2025-07-01$59.05$48.08$107.13NY20260012
PutnamUnion CARP0279-002 2025-07-01$50.12$31.73$81.85NY20260025
RocklandUnion CARP0279-004 2025-07-01$50.12$31.73$81.85NY20260020
WestchesterUnion CARP0279-001 2025-07-01$50.12$31.73$81.85NY20260017
DutchessUnion CARP0279-005 2025-07-01$44.72$31.23$75.95NY20260007
OrangeUnion CARP0279-005 2025-07-01$44.72$31.23$75.95NY20260007
SullivanUnion CARP0279-008 2025-07-01$44.72$31.23$75.95NY20260118
UlsterUnion CARP0279-005 2025-07-01$44.72$31.23$75.95NY20260007
ErieUnion CARP0276-014 2024-07-01$34.73$28.61$63.34NY20260050

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

Is construction work growing in New York?

396.0kConstruction jobsNew York, 2026-08
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k200k300k400k500k19901995200020052010201520202025396kAug 2026
Construction employment in New York (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in New York

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in New York?

The median carpenter in New York earned $34.77 an hour ($72,330 a year) in May 2025, 19% above the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $27.56–$43.18; the top 10% earn more than $58.84.

Where does New York rank for carpenter pay?

New York ranks 7th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $34.77 an hour, and 8th after adjusting for New York's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.9, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in New York?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for carpenters in 52 counties, with a typical package of $57.84 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many carpenters work in New York?

BLS counted 40,630 carpenters in New York in May 2025, 4.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.97; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New York 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.