Carpenters in California: licensing, jobs, pay and local data
106,500 people work as carpenters in California, and the median pay is $74,820 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 3,772 framing and finish carpentry contractor businesses with employees in California (2023 County Business Patterns).
That is 2.6 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 3.1 nationally.
California ranks 3 of 51 states for median pay in this trade.
It ranks 32 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 106,500
- Median pay, a year
- $74,820
- Businesses with employees
- 3,772
Carpenters in California: businesses and jobs
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses with employees | 3,772 | 44,636 |
| Their employees | 40,303 | 263,903 |
| Annual payroll | $2,542,896,000 | $15,548,438,000 |
| Payroll per employee | $63,094 | $58,917 |
| Businesses per 10,000 homes | 2.6 | 3.1 |
| Jobs | 106,500 | 697,740 |
| Jobs per 1,000 jobs | 5.90 | — |
| Location quotient (1.00 = the national share) | 1.30 | 1.00 |
A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.
What carpenters earn in California
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $74,820 | $59,310 |
| Median pay, an hour | $35.97 | $28.51 |
| 10th percentile | $47,170 | $38,760 |
| 25th percentile | $57,900 | $47,550 |
| 75th percentile | $95,360 | $75,620 |
| 90th percentile | $119,190 | $98,370 |
| Average pay, a year | $77,680 | $64,040 |
Carpenters by county in California
The homes behind the work in California
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built 2010 to 2019 | 6.5% (±0.1 points) | 9.4% |
| Homes built 2020 or later | 1.3% (±0.1 points) | 2.0% |
| Detached houses | 57.0% (±0.1 points) | 61.3% |
| Homes built before 1940 | 8.9% (±0.1 points) | 11.7% |
Licenses for carpenters in California
California sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license California requires and the agency that issues it.
Before work starts, the local building department says which permits the job needs and which license the person pulling them must hold.
Federal rules and model codes for carpenters
These federal rules apply to this work in every state, and the model codes below are adopted state by state; each is linked to its official text.
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- OSHA fall protection in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M)
- OSHA scaffolds (29 CFR part 1926, subpart L)
- International Residential Code and International Building Code (ICC)
Business counts are establishments: a company with offices in two counties is counted in each.
Jobs and pay are for the occupation in every industry, so they include people employed by builders, property managers and governments as well as by contractors.
What you can do on Seayora in California
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Questions about California
How much do carpenters make in California?
The median pay for carpenters in California is $74,820 a year, against $59,310 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many carpenters work in California?
106,500 people work as carpenters in California, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
How many framing and finish carpentry contractor businesses are in California?
The Census Bureau counts 3,772 framing and finish carpentry contractor businesses with employees in California (2023 County Business Patterns).
Do carpenters need a license in California?
California sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license California requires and the agency that issues it.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- License Finder: carpenters in California (US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop)
- EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E)
- OSHA fall protection in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M)
- OSHA scaffolds (29 CFR part 1926, subpart L)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .