Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in Tennessee

Median $24.44 an hour for 8,200 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$24.44/hrMedian hourly wageTennessee, May data
$50,830/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.01 – $31.9510th to 90th percentilehourly range
8,200Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Carpenter pay in Tennessee: the full range

Wage percentiles, TennesseeMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrTennessee: 10th $18.01 · 25th $22.36 · median $24.44 · 75th $28.80 · 90th $31.95Tennessee$24.44$18.01$31.95United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: Tennessee vs United States, May 2025.

Tennessee ranks 38th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 38th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.59). 8,200 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$18.01 – $22.36$37,460 – $46,520roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.36 – $28.80$46,520 – $59,900the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$28.80 – $31.95$59,900 – $66,450the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in Tennessee

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrNashville: $26.81Nashville$26.81Chattanooga: $24.41Chattanooga$24.41Memphis: $24.34Memphis$24.34Knoxville: $24.23Knoxville$24.23Morristown: $23.61Morristown$23.61Clarksville: $23.60Clarksville$23.60Cleveland: $23.31Cleveland$23.31Kingsport: $23.24Kingsport$23.24Jackson: $23.05Jackson$23.05Johnson City: $23.04Johnson City$23.04
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in Tennessee, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Nashville$19.29$26.81$33.503,04010% above
Chattanooga$17.94$24.41$31.73620about the same as
Memphis$19.35$24.34$31.151,240about the same as
Knoxville$17.60$24.23$33.701,2801% below
Morristown$17.28$23.61$32.131303% below
Clarksville$17.44$23.60$31.282903% below
Cleveland$18.86$23.31$30.97805% below
Kingsport$17.46$23.24$30.903905% below
Jackson$17.50$23.05$30.091706% below
Johnson City$18.46$23.04$30.791606% below

Carpenter wages in Tennessee over time

Tennessee, 1999-2025TennesseeUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.12United States$24.44Tennessee
Median hourly wage for carpenters, Tennessee vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTennessee $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.00$25.12$15.3511,830
2000$12.98$24.27$15.6911,020
2001$13.26$24.10$16.0912,180
2002$13.47$24.11$16.4411,080
2003$13.46$23.55$16.4711,190
2004$13.70$23.35$16.7813,020
2005$13.61$22.44$17.1112,900
2006$14.19$22.66$17.5712,860
2007$14.54$22.58$18.1111,770
2008$15.26$22.82$18.7210,550
2009$15.64$23.47$18.989,510
2010$15.97$23.58$19.008,630
2011$16.44$23.53$19.247,970
2012$16.53$23.18$19.207,860
2013$16.48$22.78$19.476,520
2014$16.38$22.28$19.636,580
2015$17.26$23.44$20.246,160
2016$17.67$23.70$20.966,650
2017$18.22$23.93$21.717,290
2018$18.63$23.89$22.407,490
2019$19.78$24.91$23.248,490
2020$20.71$25.76$23.818,260
2021$20.85$24.77$23.207,390
2022$22.31$24.54$24.719,730
2023$23.09$24.40$27.099,930
2024$23.81$24.44$28.518,680
2025$24.44$24.44$29.128,200

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in Tennessee changed by +4.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in Tennessee

On federally funded construction in Tennessee, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 7 of the 95 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $44.94 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $19.40). The market median for the state is $24.44.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, TNAnderson: $46.67 (union)Bedford: $21.80 (survey)Benton: $19.40 (survey)Bledsoe: $16.12 (survey)Blount: $16.96 (survey)Bradley: $18.00 (survey)Campbell: $20.03 (survey)Cannon: $20.06 (survey)Carroll: $19.40 (survey)Carter: $17.72 (survey)Cheatham: $20.06 (survey)Chester: $44.94 (union)Claiborne: $16.12 (survey)Clay: $16.12 (survey)Cocke: $16.12 (survey)Coffee: $21.80 (survey)Crockett: $44.94 (union)Cumberland: $16.12 (survey)Davidson: $22.07 (survey)Decatur: $19.40 (survey)DeKalb: $16.12 (survey)Dickson: $20.06 (survey)Dyer: $19.40 (survey)Fayette: $44.94 (union)Fentress: $16.12 (survey)Franklin: $21.80 (survey)Gibson: $19.40 (survey)Giles: $21.80 (survey)Grainger: $20.03 (survey)Greene: $16.12 (survey)Grundy: $21.80 (survey)Hamblen: $21.78 (survey)Hamilton: $18.00 (survey)Hancock: $16.12 (survey)Hardeman: $19.40 (survey)Hardin: $19.40 (survey)Hawkins: $18.16 (survey)Haywood: $19.40 (survey)Henderson: $19.40 (survey)Henry: $19.40 (survey)Hickman: $20.06 (survey)Houston: $19.40 (survey)Humphreys: $19.40 (survey)Jackson: $16.12 (survey)Jefferson: $21.78 (survey)Johnson: $16.12 (survey)Knox: $20.09 (survey)Lake: $19.40 (survey)Lauderdale: $19.40 (survey)Lawrence: $21.80 (survey)Lewis: $21.80 (survey)Lincoln: $21.80 (survey)Loudon: $20.03 (survey)McMinn: $16.12 (survey)McNairy: $19.40 (survey)Macon: $20.06 (survey)Madison: $44.94 (union)Marion: $18.00 (survey)Marshall: $21.80 (survey)Maury: $20.06 (survey)Meigs: $16.12 (survey)Monroe: $16.12 (survey)Montgomery: $21.64 (survey)Moore: $21.80 (survey)Morgan: $20.03 (survey)Obion: $19.40 (survey)Overton: $16.12 (survey)Perry: $21.80 (survey)Pickett: $16.12 (survey)Polk: $18.00 (survey)Putnam: $16.12 (survey)Rhea: $16.12 (survey)Roane: $33.43 (survey)Robertson: $20.06 (survey)Rutherford: $19.72 (survey)Scott: $16.12 (survey)Sequatchie: $18.00 (survey)Sevier: $16.12 (survey)Shelby: $44.94 (union)Smith: $20.06 (survey)Stewart: $19.40 (survey)Sullivan: $18.16 (survey)Sumner: $20.06 (survey)Tipton: $44.94 (union)Trousdale: $20.06 (survey)Unicoi: $17.72 (survey)Union: $20.03 (survey)Van Buren: $16.12 (survey)Warren: $16.12 (survey)Washington: $17.72 (survey)Wayne: $21.80 (survey)Weakley: $19.40 (survey)White: $16.12 (survey)Williamson: $19.50 (survey)Wilson: $20.06 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$19.40$20.03$21.80survey 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)$10$20$30$40$50/hrAnderson (Knoxville): market median $24.23, prevailing (union) $46.67, gap +$22.44Anderson (Knoxville)+$22.44Chester (Jackson): market median $23.05, prevailing (union) $44.94, gap +$21.89Chester (Jackson)+$21.89Fayette (Memphis): market median $24.34, prevailing (union) $44.94, gap +$20.60Fayette (Memphis)+$20.60Hamblen (Morristown): market median $23.61, prevailing (survey) $21.78, gap −$1.83Hamblen (Morristown)−$1.83Montgomery (Clarksville): market median $23.60, prevailing (survey) $21.64, gap −$1.96Montgomery (Clarksville)−$1.96Davidson (Nashville): market median $26.81, prevailing (survey) $22.07, gap −$4.74Davidson (Nashville)−$4.74Hawkins (Kingsport): market median $23.24, prevailing (survey) $18.16, gap −$5.08Hawkins (Kingsport)−$5.08Bradley (Cleveland): market median $23.31, prevailing (survey) $18.00, gap −$5.31Bradley (Cleveland)−$5.31Carter (Johnson City): market median $23.04, prevailing (survey) $17.72, gap −$5.32Carter (Johnson City)−$5.32Hamilton (Chattanooga): market median $24.41, prevailing (survey) $18.00, gap −$6.41Hamilton (Chattanooga)−$6.41
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in Tennessee.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AndersonUnion CARP0050-003 2024-05-01$29.88$16.79$46.67TN20260176
ChesterUnion CARP0345-001 2024-05-01$30.20$14.74$44.94TN20260198
CrockettUnion CARP0345-001 2024-05-01$30.20$14.74$44.94TN20260198
FayetteUnion CARP0345-001 2024-05-01$30.20$14.74$44.94TN20260200
MadisonUnion CARP0345-001 2024-05-01$30.20$14.74$44.94TN20260183
ShelbyUnion CARP0345-001 2024-05-01$30.20$14.74$44.94TN20260200
TiptonUnion CARP0345-001 2024-05-01$30.20$14.74$44.94TN20260189
RoaneSurvey SUTN2017-039 2021-04-16$24.28$9.15$33.43TN20260186
DavidsonSurvey SUTN2017-031 2021-04-16$22.07$0.00$22.07TN20260178
BedfordSurvey SUTN2017-004 2021-04-16$17.50$4.30$21.80TN20260151
CoffeeSurvey SUTN2017-004 2021-04-16$17.50$4.30$21.80TN20260151
FranklinSurvey SUTN2017-011 2021-04-16$17.50$4.30$21.80TN20260158
GilesSurvey SUTN2017-011 2021-04-16$17.50$4.30$21.80TN20260158
GrundySurvey SUTN2017-014 2021-04-16$17.50$4.30$21.80TN20260161
LawrenceSurvey SUTN2017-014 2021-04-16$17.50$4.30$21.80TN20260161

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

Is construction work growing in Tennessee?

168.5kConstruction jobsTennessee, 2026-08
-0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025168kAug 2026
Construction employment in Tennessee (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Tennessee

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in Tennessee?

The median carpenter in Tennessee earned $24.44 an hour ($50,830 a year) in May 2025, 16% below the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $22.36–$28.80; the top 10% earn more than $31.95.

Where does Tennessee rank for carpenter pay?

Tennessee ranks 38th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $24.44 an hour, and 38th after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in Tennessee?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for carpenters in 7 counties, with a typical package of $44.94 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many carpenters work in Tennessee?

BLS counted 8,200 carpenters in Tennessee in May 2025, 2.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.58; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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