Carpenters in Wisconsin: licensing, jobs, pay and local data

15,330 people work as carpenters in Wisconsin, and the median pay is $60,390 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).

The Census Bureau counts 944 framing and finish carpentry contractor businesses with employees in Wisconsin (2023 County Business Patterns).

That is 3.4 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 3.1 nationally.

Wisconsin ranks 20 of 51 states for median pay in this trade.

It ranks 22 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.

Figures last updated on .

Jobs
15,330
Median pay, a year
$60,390
Businesses with employees
944

Carpenters in Wisconsin: businesses and jobs

Census Bureau 2023; Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2024
WisconsinUnited States
Businesses with employees94444,636
Their employees6,018263,903
Annual payroll$387,151,000$15,548,438,000
Payroll per employee$64,332$58,917
Businesses per 10,000 homes3.43.1
Jobs15,330697,740
Jobs per 1,000 jobs5.24—
Location quotient (1.00 = the national share)1.161.00

A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.

What carpenters earn in Wisconsin

May 2024, US Bureau of Labor Statistics
WisconsinUnited States
Median pay, a year$60,390$59,310
Median pay, an hour$29.04$28.51
10th percentile$44,480$38,760
25th percentile$49,230$47,550
75th percentile$80,170$75,620
90th percentile$88,040$98,370
Average pay, a year$64,190$64,040

Carpenters by county in Wisconsin

Businesses with employees, 2023 County Business Patterns
CountyBusinesses with employeesTheir employeesBusinesses per 10,000 homes
Waukesha County947815.4
Dane County821,3413.1
Milwaukee County604761.4
Washington County564079.4
Outagamie County384054.7
Brown County361283.1
St. Croix County321118.2
Walworth County271205.0
Jefferson County251176.8
Racine County25972.9
Winnebago County251563.2
Kenosha County231693.1
Ozaukee County22625.5
Columbia County19507.1
Rock County19692.7
Sheboygan County19983.6
Marathon County18873.0
Clark County174011.4
Chippewa County16595.4
Dodge County16504.2
Fond du Lac County14803.0
Oconto County141255.8
Vilas County12284.8
Eau Claire County11702.3
Sauk County11793.5
Vernon County10527.1
Manitowoc County9212.4
Oneida County9202.9
Polk County9233.7
La Crosse County8271.5
Door County7652.9
Portage County7292.2
Shawano County7313.4
Washburn County7215.4
Waushara County7244.7
Wood County7282.0
Barron County6172.5
Grant County6382.7
Green County6143.6
Pierce County6603.5
Marinette County5101.7
Calumet County461.8
Kewaunee County494.3
Trempealeau County483.0
Adams County311.8
Bayfield County3132.2
Douglas County381.3
Dunn County3101.6
Lincoln County371.8
Sawyer County341.8

The homes behind the work in Wisconsin

Estimate (90% margin of error)
WisconsinUnited States
Homes built 2010 to 20197.1% (±0.1 points)9.4%
Homes built 2020 or later1.4% (±0.1 points)2.0%
Detached houses66.2% (±0.2 points)61.3%
Homes built before 194017.8% (±0.1 points)11.7%

Licenses for carpenters in Wisconsin

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.

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.

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Questions about Wisconsin

How much do carpenters make in Wisconsin?

The median pay for carpenters in Wisconsin is $60,390 a year, against $59,310 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).

How many carpenters work in Wisconsin?

15,330 people work as carpenters in Wisconsin, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.

How many framing and finish carpentry contractor businesses are in Wisconsin?

The Census Bureau counts 944 framing and finish carpentry contractor businesses with employees in Wisconsin (2023 County Business Patterns).

Do carpenters need a license in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin requires and the agency that issues it.

Sources

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 .

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