Skilled Wages

Carpenter salary in Washington

Median $35.67 an hour for 26,960 carpenters, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$35.67/hrMedian hourly wageWashington, May data
$74,190/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$25.16 – $57.6510th to 90th percentilehourly range
26,960Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Carpenter pay in Washington: the full range

Wage percentiles, WashingtonMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrWashington: 10th $25.16 · 25th $29.15 · median $35.67 · 75th $44.55 · 90th $57.65Washington$35.67$25.16$57.65United States: 10th $19.43 · 25th $23.32 · median $29.12 · 75th $36.94 · 90th $48.03United States$29.12
Hourly wage percentiles for carpenters: Washington vs United States, May 2025.

Washington ranks 5th of 51 states for median carpenter pay, and 5th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $33.34). 26,960 carpenters work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$25.16 – $29.15$52,330 – $60,630roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$29.15 – $44.55$60,630 – $92,660the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$44.55 – $57.65$92,660 – $119,920the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Carpenter pay by metro in Washington

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSeattle: $36.74Seattle$36.74Portland: $35.44Portland$35.44Bellingham: $35.22Bellingham$35.22Mount Vernon: $33.51Mount Vernon$33.51Longview: $32.96Longview$32.96Bremerton: $31.25Bremerton$31.25Kennewick: $30.92Kennewick$30.92Wenatchee: $30.60Wenatchee$30.60Yakima: $30.43Yakima$30.43Olympia: $30.41Olympia$30.41Spokane: $29.76Spokane$29.76Walla Walla: $28.68Walla Walla$28.68
Median hourly wage for carpenters by metro area in Washington, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Seattle$27.93$36.74$59.5014,9703% above
Portland$22.81$35.44$52.139,2101% below
Bellingham$24.49$35.22$56.989501% below
Mount Vernon$24.13$33.51$57.675406% below
Longview$24.06$32.96$56.463608% below
Bremerton$24.93$31.25$46.9294012% below
Kennewick$23.68$30.92$57.091,31013% below
Wenatchee$22.67$30.60$52.3440014% below
Yakima$21.81$30.43$59.0948015% below
Olympia$24.60$30.41$48.2280015% below
Spokane$23.44$29.76$42.182,02017% below
Walla Walla$23.06$28.68$39.1612020% below
Lewiston$18.89$27.61$36.1115023% below

Carpenter wages in Washington over time

Washington, 1999-2025WashingtonUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$35.67Washington$29.12United States
Median hourly wage for carpenters, Washington vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWashington $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$19.74$38.15$15.3524,340
2000$19.61$36.66$15.6923,600
2001$20.39$37.07$16.0922,740
2002$19.87$35.56$16.4423,470
2003$20.11$35.19$16.4721,940
2004$21.05$35.88$16.7822,890
2005$20.60$33.96$17.1123,910
2006$21.34$34.08$17.5726,510
2007$21.10$32.76$18.1130,550
2008$22.37$33.45$18.7232,410
2009$22.54$33.82$18.9827,270
2010$23.10$34.11$19.0021,610
2011$23.14$33.12$19.2419,130
2012$22.86$32.05$19.2017,070
2013$22.68$31.34$19.4719,580
2014$23.36$31.77$19.6320,360
2015$24.80$33.69$20.2422,360
2016$25.13$33.71$20.9624,180
2017$26.11$34.29$21.7125,620
2018$27.52$35.28$22.4026,350
2019$28.82$36.29$23.2425,600
2020$29.29$36.43$23.8125,480
2021$29.18$34.67$23.2026,200
2022$30.42$33.46$24.7126,470
2023$34.67$36.63$27.0928,690
2024$35.22$36.15$28.5126,340
2025$35.67$35.67$29.1226,960

In today's dollars, the median carpenter wage in Washington changed by +5.9% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for carpenters in Washington

On federally funded construction in Washington, contractors must pay carpenters at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 38 of the 39 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $71.50 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $26.72). 1 of the 39 counties still use a survey rate dated 2009 or earlier (for example Okanogan County at $26.72). The market median for the state is $35.67.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WAAdams: $61.49 (union)Asotin: $61.49 (union)Benton: $61.49 (union)Chelan: $61.49 (union)Clallam: $83.11 (union)Clark: $71.50 (union)Columbia: $61.49 (union)Cowlitz: $71.50 (union)Douglas: $61.49 (union)Ferry: $61.49 (union)Franklin: $61.49 (union)Garfield: $61.49 (union)Grant: $61.49 (union)Grays Harbor: $83.11 (union)Island: $83.11 (union)Jefferson: $83.11 (union)King: $83.11 (union)Kitsap: $83.11 (union)Kittitas: $61.49 (union)Klickitat: $71.50 (union)Lewis: $83.11 (union)Lincoln: $61.49 (union)Mason: $83.11 (union)Okanogan: $26.72 (survey)Pacific: $83.11 (union)Pend Oreille: $61.49 (union)Pierce: $83.11 (union)San Juan: $83.11 (union)Skagit: $83.11 (union)Skamania: $71.50 (union)Snohomish: $83.11 (union)Spokane: $61.49 (union)Stevens: $61.49 (union)Thurston: $83.11 (union)Wahkiakum: $71.50 (union)Walla Walla: $61.49 (union)Whatcom: $83.11 (union)Whitman: $61.49 (union)Yakima: $61.49 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$61.49$71.50survey 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)$20$40$60$80$100/hrThurston (Olympia): market median $30.41, prevailing (union) $83.11, gap +$52.70Thurston (Olympia)+$52.70Kitsap (Bremerton): market median $31.25, prevailing (union) $83.11, gap +$51.86Kitsap (Bremerton)+$51.86Skagit (Mount Vernon): market median $33.51, prevailing (union) $83.11, gap +$49.60Skagit (Mount Vernon)+$49.60Whatcom (Bellingham): market median $35.22, prevailing (union) $83.11, gap +$47.89Whatcom (Bellingham)+$47.89King (Seattle): market median $36.74, prevailing (union) $83.11, gap +$46.37King (Seattle)+$46.37Cowlitz (Longview): market median $32.96, prevailing (union) $71.50, gap +$38.54Cowlitz (Longview)+$38.54Clark (Portland): market median $35.44, prevailing (union) $71.50, gap +$36.06Clark (Portland)+$36.06Asotin (Lewiston): market median $27.61, prevailing (union) $61.49, gap +$33.88Asotin (Lewiston)+$33.88Walla Walla (Walla Walla): market median $28.68, prevailing (union) $61.49, gap +$32.81Walla Walla (Walla Walla)+$32.81Spokane (Spokane): market median $29.76, prevailing (union) $61.49, gap +$31.73Spokane (Spokane)+$31.73Yakima (Yakima): market median $30.43, prevailing (union) $61.49, gap +$31.06Yakima (Yakima)+$31.06Chelan (Wenatchee): market median $30.60, prevailing (union) $61.49, gap +$30.89Chelan (Wenatchee)+$30.89Benton (Kennewick): market median $30.92, prevailing (union) $61.49, gap +$30.57Benton (Kennewick)+$30.57
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for carpenters, metro counties in Washington.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ClallamUnion CARP0425-003 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260022
Grays HarborUnion CARP0360-004 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260027
IslandUnion CARP0425-003 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260028
JeffersonUnion CARP0425-003 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260029
KingUnion CARP0206-001 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260108
KitsapUnion CARP0206-007 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260109
LewisUnion CARP0360-011 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260032
MasonUnion CARP0360-011 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260034
PacificUnion CARP0360-012 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260036
PierceUnion CARP0360-004 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260111
San JuanUnion CARP0425-003 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260038
SkagitUnion CARP0425-001 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260112
SnohomishUnion CARP0425-003 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260113
ThurstonUnion CARP0360-001 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260116
WhatcomUnion CARP0425-001 2025-06-01$63.98$19.13$83.11WA20260118

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

Is construction work growing in Washington?

223.8kConstruction jobsWashington, 2026-08
-0.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025224kAug 2026
Construction employment in Washington (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Carpenter pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Washington

Questions this page answers

How much do carpenters make in Washington?

The median carpenter in Washington earned $35.67 an hour ($74,190 a year) in May 2025, 22% above the national median of $29.12. The middle half earn $29.15–$44.55; the top 10% earn more than $57.65.

Where does Washington rank for carpenter pay?

Washington ranks 5th of 51 states for carpenter pay, with a median of $35.67 an hour, and 5th after adjusting for Washington's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.0, US = 100).

What is the union carpenter rate in Washington?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for carpenters in 38 counties, with a typical package of $71.50 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many carpenters work in Washington?

BLS counted 26,960 carpenters in Washington in May 2025, 7.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.76; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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