Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in Pennsylvania

Median $28.54 an hour for 30,630 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$28.54/hrMedian hourly wagePennsylvania, May data
$59,370/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$20.66 – $44.2910th to 90th percentilehourly range
30,630Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Carpenter pay in Pennsylvania: the full range

Wage percentiles, PennsylvaniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrPennsylvania: 10th $20.66 · 25th $23.01 · median $28.54 · 75th $35.92 · 90th $44.29Pennsylvania$28.54$20.66$44.29United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: Pennsylvania vs United States, May 2025.

Pennsylvania ranks 26th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 25th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.24). 30,630 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$20.66 – $23.01$42,970 – $47,850roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.01 – $35.92$47,850 – $74,700the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.92 – $44.29$74,700 – $92,110the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in Pennsylvania

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrPhiladelphia: $29.70Philadelphia$29.70Pittsburgh: $29.41Pittsburgh$29.41York: $29.40York$29.40Scranton: $28.96Scranton$28.96Allentown: $28.63Allentown$28.63Harrisburg: $27.74Harrisburg$27.74Altoona: $27.58Altoona$27.58Erie: $27.33Erie$27.33Lebanon: $26.81Lebanon$26.81Lancaster: $26.77Lancaster$26.77State College: $26.77State College$26.77Reading: $26.41Reading$26.41
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in Pennsylvania, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Philadelphia$21.97$29.70$47.3414,2604% above
Pittsburgh$21.12$29.41$45.005,9203% above
York$22.00$29.40$46.251,1903% above
Scranton$18.58$28.96$39.081,0701% above
Allentown$18.73$28.63$41.641,390about the same as
Harrisburg$19.68$27.74$40.581,3203% below
Altoona$20.00$27.58$48.523603% below
Erie$17.49$27.33$36.585304% below
Lebanon$22.31$26.81$37.373106% below
Lancaster$18.82$26.77$38.062,7506% below
State College$18.92$26.77$39.283506% below
Reading$18.05$26.41$37.987607% below
Johnstown$16.90$26.23$35.181908% below
Williamsport$17.53$25.64$37.4717010% below
Chambersburg$18.47$23.43$34.3130018% below
Gettysburg$12.72$23.39$34.7815018% below

Carpenter wages in Pennsylvania over time

Pennsylvania, 1999-2025PennsylvaniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.12United States$28.54Pennsylvania
Median hourly wage for carpenters, Pennsylvania vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearPennsylvania $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.47$29.89$15.3533,710
2000$15.82$29.58$15.6935,610
2001$16.28$29.59$16.0933,480
2002$16.40$29.35$16.4435,690
2003$16.03$28.05$16.4734,820
2004$15.72$26.79$16.7838,060
2005$16.28$26.84$17.1145,020
2006$17.47$27.90$17.5745,210
2007$18.31$28.43$18.1144,920
2008$18.90$28.26$18.7242,840
2009$18.81$28.23$18.9837,740
2010$18.73$27.65$19.0034,150
2011$18.52$26.51$19.2435,030
2012$18.93$26.54$19.2034,870
2013$19.37$26.77$19.4733,660
2014$20.09$27.32$19.6333,530
2015$20.62$28.01$20.2431,420
2016$21.42$28.73$20.9630,620
2017$22.36$29.37$21.7128,440
2018$23.66$30.33$22.4029,200
2019$24.14$30.40$23.2431,290
2020$24.60$30.60$23.8128,630
2021$23.11$27.46$23.2027,560
2022$24.24$26.67$24.7129,020
2023$27.50$29.06$27.0929,270
2024$28.48$29.23$28.5129,900
2025$28.54$28.54$29.1230,630

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in Pennsylvania changed by +1.9% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in Pennsylvania

On federally funded construction in Pennsylvania, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 64 of the 67 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $56.61 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $36.33). 3 of the 67 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Adams County at $23.40). The market median for the state is $28.54.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, PAAdams: $23.40 (survey)Allegheny: $58.98 (union)Armstrong: $58.98 (union)Beaver: $58.98 (union)Bedford: $55.40 (union)Berks: $57.03 (union)Blair: $51.10 (union)Bradford: $54.03 (union)Bucks: $83.36 (union)Butler: $58.98 (union)Cambria: $51.10 (union)Cameron: $55.40 (union)Carbon: $71.02 (union)Centre: $51.10 (union)Chester: $83.36 (union)Clarion: $54.96 (union)Clearfield: $55.40 (union)Clinton: $55.40 (union)Columbia: $57.03 (union)Crawford: $54.96 (union)Cumberland: $36.33 (survey)Dauphin: $57.03 (union)Delaware: $83.36 (union)Elk: $55.40 (union)Erie: $55.36 (union)Fayette: $58.98 (union)Forest: $54.96 (union)Franklin: $55.40 (union)Fulton: $55.40 (union)Greene: $54.96 (union)Huntingdon: $55.40 (union)Indiana: $55.40 (union)Jefferson: $55.40 (union)Juniata: $57.03 (union)Lackawanna: $56.61 (union)Lancaster: $57.03 (union)Lawrence: $54.96 (union)Lebanon: $37.22 (survey)Lehigh: $71.02 (union)Luzerne: $56.61 (union)Lycoming: $57.03 (union)McKean: $55.40 (union)Mercer: $54.96 (union)Mifflin: $55.40 (union)Monroe: $56.61 (union)Montgomery: $83.36 (union)Montour: $57.03 (union)Northampton: $71.02 (union)Northumberland: $57.03 (union)Perry: $57.03 (union)Philadelphia: $85.91 (union)Pike: $56.61 (union)Potter: $55.40 (union)Schuylkill: $57.03 (union)Snyder: $57.03 (union)Somerset: $51.10 (union)Sullivan: $56.88 (union)Susquehanna: $56.61 (union)Tioga: $56.88 (union)Union: $57.03 (union)Venango: $54.96 (union)Warren: $54.96 (union)Washington: $58.98 (union)Wayne: $56.61 (union)Westmoreland: $58.98 (union)Wyoming: $56.61 (union)York: $57.03 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$54.96$55.40$57.03$58.98survey 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$100/hrPhiladelphia (Philadelphia): market median $29.70, prevailing (union) $85.91, gap +$56.21Philadelphia (Philadelphia)+$56.21Carbon (Allentown): market median $28.63, prevailing (union) $71.02, gap +$42.39Carbon (Allentown)+$42.39Franklin (Chambersburg): market median $23.43, prevailing (union) $55.40, gap +$31.97Franklin (Chambersburg)+$31.97Lycoming (Williamsport): market median $25.64, prevailing (union) $57.03, gap +$31.39Lycoming (Williamsport)+$31.39Berks (Reading): market median $26.41, prevailing (union) $57.03, gap +$30.62Berks (Reading)+$30.62Lancaster (Lancaster): market median $26.77, prevailing (union) $57.03, gap +$30.26Lancaster (Lancaster)+$30.26Allegheny (Pittsburgh): market median $29.41, prevailing (union) $58.98, gap +$29.57Allegheny (Pittsburgh)+$29.57Dauphin (Harrisburg): market median $27.74, prevailing (union) $57.03, gap +$29.29Dauphin (Harrisburg)+$29.29Erie (Erie): market median $27.33, prevailing (union) $55.36, gap +$28.03Erie (Erie)+$28.03Lackawanna (Scranton): market median $28.96, prevailing (union) $56.61, gap +$27.65Lackawanna (Scranton)+$27.65York (York): market median $29.40, prevailing (union) $57.03, gap +$27.63York (York)+$27.63Cambria (Johnstown): market median $26.23, prevailing (union) $51.10, gap +$24.87Cambria (Johnstown)+$24.87Centre (State College): market median $26.77, prevailing (union) $51.10, gap +$24.33Centre (State College)+$24.33Blair (Altoona): market median $27.58, prevailing (union) $51.10, gap +$23.52Blair (Altoona)+$23.52Lebanon (Lebanon): market median $26.81, prevailing (survey) $37.22, gap +$10.41Lebanon (Lebanon)+$10.41Adams (Gettysburg): market median $23.39, prevailing (survey) $23.40, gap +$0.01Adams (Gettysburg)+$0.01
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in Pennsylvania.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
PhiladelphiaUnion CARP0158-001 2025-05-01$55.82$30.09$85.91PA20260003
BucksUnion CARP0251-004 2025-05-01$51.67$31.69$83.36PA20260078
ChesterUnion CARP0251-004 2025-05-01$51.67$31.69$83.36PA20260083
DelawareUnion CARP0251-004 2025-05-01$51.67$31.69$83.36PA20260087
MontgomeryUnion CARP0251-004 2025-05-01$51.67$31.69$83.36PA20260099
CarbonUnion CARP0251-009 2025-05-01$41.23$29.79$71.02PA20260081
LehighUnion CARP0251-009 2025-05-01$41.23$29.79$71.02PA20260094
NorthamptonUnion CARP0251-009 2025-05-01$41.23$29.79$71.02PA20260101
AlleghenyUnion CARP0142-001 2023-06-01$38.92$20.06$58.98PA20260001
ArmstrongUnion CARP0142-013 2023-06-01$38.92$20.06$58.98PA20260074
BeaverUnion CARP0142-014 2023-06-01$38.92$20.06$58.98PA20260075
ButlerUnion CARP0142-013 2023-06-01$38.92$20.06$58.98PA20260079
FayetteUnion CARP0142-013 2023-06-01$38.92$20.06$58.98PA20260089
WashingtonUnion CARP0142-013 2023-06-01$38.92$20.06$58.98PA20260104
WestmorelandUnion CARP0142-013 2023-06-01$38.92$20.06$58.98PA20260105

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

Is construction work growing in Pennsylvania?

272.7kConstruction jobsPennsylvania, 2026-08
-0.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025273kAug 2026
Construction employment in Pennsylvania (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Pennsylvania

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in Pennsylvania?

The median carpenter in Pennsylvania earned $28.54 an hour ($59,370 a year) in May 2025, 2% below the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $23.01–$35.92; the top 10% earn more than $44.29.

Where does Pennsylvania rank for carpenter pay?

Pennsylvania ranks 26th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $28.54 an hour, and 25th after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (BEA price parity 97.6, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in Pennsylvania?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for carpenters in 64 counties, with a typical package of $56.61 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many carpenters work in Pennsylvania?

BLS counted 30,630 carpenters in Pennsylvania in May 2025, 5.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.17; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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