Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in North Dakota

Median $27.83 an hour for 2,360 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$27.83/hrMedian hourly wageNorth Dakota, May data
$57,890/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.09 – $36.9010th to 90th percentilehourly range
2,360Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Carpenter pay in North Dakota: the full range

Wage percentiles, North DakotaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrNorth Dakota: 10th $21.09 · 25th $23.47 · median $27.83 · 75th $30.55 · 90th $36.90North Dakota$27.83$21.09$36.90United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: North Dakota vs United States, May 2025.

North Dakota ranks 30th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 14th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $31.27). 2,360 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$21.09 – $23.47$43,860 – $48,820roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.47 – $30.55$48,820 – $63,550the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$30.55 – $36.90$63,550 – $76,760the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in North Dakota

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrFargo: $28.34Fargo$28.34Minot: $28.34Minot$28.34Grand Forks: $27.62Grand Forks$27.62Bismarck: $26.28Bismarck$26.28
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in North Dakota, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Fargo$21.41$28.34$36.978802% above
Minot$17.66$28.34$37.001602% above
Grand Forks$21.31$27.62$36.602901% below
Bismarck$17.90$26.28$37.345106% below

Carpenter wages in North Dakota over time

North Dakota, 1999-2025North DakotaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$29.12United States$27.83North Dakota
Median hourly wage for carpenters, North Dakota vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearNorth Dakota $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.38$21.99$15.352,550
2000$12.30$23.00$15.692,180
2001$12.68$23.05$16.092,360
2002$13.26$23.73$16.442,230
2003$13.26$23.20$16.472,240
2004$13.42$22.87$16.782,590
2005$14.03$23.13$17.112,490
2006$14.23$22.72$17.572,740
2007$15.05$23.37$18.112,310
2008$15.13$22.62$18.722,420
2009$15.27$22.91$18.982,390
2010$15.34$22.65$19.002,820
2011$16.18$23.16$19.242,760
2012$16.68$23.39$19.203,010
2013$17.57$24.28$19.472,830
2014$17.71$24.08$19.632,850
2015$18.49$25.12$20.242,530
2016$19.15$25.69$20.962,370
2017$19.62$25.77$21.712,550
2018$19.60$25.13$22.402,370
2019$20.33$25.60$23.242,140
2020$22.50$27.99$23.812,280
2021$23.08$27.42$23.202,590
2022$23.37$25.71$24.712,820
2023$25.77$27.23$27.092,480
2024$28.07$28.81$28.512,830
2025$27.83$27.83$29.122,360

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in North Dakota changed by +10.8% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in North Dakota

On federally funded construction in North Dakota, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 53 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $23.04). 53 of the 53 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Adams County at $31.92). The market median for the state is $27.83.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, NDAdams: $31.92 (survey)Barnes: $22.70 (survey)Benson: $22.70 (survey)Billings: $31.92 (survey)Bottineau: $16.88 (survey)Bowman: $31.92 (survey)Burke: $31.01 (survey)Burleigh: $15.78 (survey)Cass: $24.13 (survey)Cavalier: $22.70 (survey)Dickey: $23.55 (survey)Divide: $31.92 (survey)Dunn: $31.92 (survey)Eddy: $22.70 (survey)Emmons: $23.55 (survey)Foster: $22.70 (survey)Golden Valley: $31.92 (survey)Grand Forks: $23.04 (survey)Grant: $23.55 (survey)Griggs: $22.70 (survey)Hettinger: $31.92 (survey)Kidder: $22.70 (survey)LaMoure: $22.70 (survey)Logan: $22.70 (survey)McHenry: $31.01 (survey)McIntosh: $22.70 (survey)McKenzie: $31.92 (survey)McLean: $31.01 (survey)Mercer: $31.01 (survey)Morton: $15.80 (survey)Mountrail: $31.01 (survey)Nelson: $22.70 (survey)Oliver: $15.80 (survey)Pembina: $19.40 (survey)Pierce: $31.01 (survey)Ramsey: $22.70 (survey)Ransom: $23.55 (survey)Renville: $16.85 (survey)Richland: $23.55 (survey)Rolette: $22.70 (survey)Sargent: $23.55 (survey)Sheridan: $31.01 (survey)Sioux: $15.80 (survey)Slope: $31.92 (survey)Stark: $31.92 (survey)Steele: $22.70 (survey)Stutsman: $22.70 (survey)Towner: $22.70 (survey)Traill: $22.70 (survey)Walsh: $22.70 (survey)Ward: $31.01 (survey)Wells: $22.70 (survey)Williams: $31.92 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$22.70$23.55$31.56survey 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)$10$15$20$25$30$35/hrMcHenry (Minot): market median $28.34, prevailing (survey) $31.01, gap +$2.67McHenry (Minot)+$2.67Cass (Fargo): market median $28.34, prevailing (survey) $24.13, gap −$4.21Cass (Fargo)−$4.21Grand Forks (Grand Forks): market median $27.62, prevailing (survey) $23.04, gap −$4.58Grand Forks (Grand Forks)−$4.58Morton (Bismarck): market median $26.28, prevailing (survey) $15.80, gap −$10.48Morton (Bismarck)−$10.48
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in North Dakota.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsSurvey SUND2012-007 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260018
BillingsSurvey SUND2012-009 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260020
BowmanSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260034
DivideSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260034
DunnSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260034
Golden ValleySurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260034
HettingerSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260034
McKenzieSurvey SUND2012-011 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260022
SlopeSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260034
StarkSurvey SUND2012-023 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260034
WilliamsSurvey SUND2012-021 2014-08-18$23.85$8.07$31.92ND20260032
BurkeSurvey SUND2012-024 2014-08-18$23.66$7.35$31.01ND20260035
McHenrySurvey SUND2012-024 2014-08-18$23.66$7.35$31.01ND20260035
McLeanSurvey SUND2012-012 2014-08-18$23.66$7.35$31.01ND20260023
MercerSurvey SUND2012-013 2014-08-18$23.66$7.35$31.01ND20260024

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

Is construction work growing in North Dakota?

35.1kConstruction jobsNorth Dakota, 2026-08
+2.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k10k20k30k40k50k1990199520002005201020152020202535kAug 2026
Construction employment in North Dakota (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in North Dakota

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in North Dakota?

The median carpenter in North Dakota earned $27.83 an hour ($57,890 a year) in May 2025, 4% below the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $23.47–$30.55; the top 10% earn more than $36.90.

Where does North Dakota rank for carpenter pay?

North Dakota ranks 30th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $27.83 an hour, and 14th after adjusting for North Dakota's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.0, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in North Dakota?

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

How many carpenters work in North Dakota?

BLS counted 2,360 carpenters in North Dakota in May 2025, 5.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.28; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, North Dakota 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.