Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in Decatur, AL make a median of $50,950 a year, or about $24.5 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $58,422 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $961/month, or 28.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $51K get you in Decatur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About carpenters
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What this looks like in Decatur
Pay for carpenters in Decatur runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $961/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for carpenters in metros near Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $50K | $55K |
| Mobile | $49K | $55K |
| Huntsville | $49K | $53K |
| Montgomery | $47K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Decatur, AL
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Carpenters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Carpenters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $85K | +41% | 4,810 |
| Illinois | $79K | +30% | 19,570 |
| California | $76K | +25% | 100,750 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | +24% | 18,540 |
| Washington | $74K | +22% | 26,960 |
| Alaska | $74K | +22% | 2,560 |
| New York | $72K | +19% | 40,630 |
| Minnesota | $65K | +7% | 14,930 |
| Connecticut | $64K | +6% | 5,160 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +6% | 14,230 |
| Maryland | $63K | +4% | 9,770 |
| Oregon | $63K | +4% | 15,110 |
| Indiana | $63K | +4% | 15,240 |
| Colorado | $63K | +4% | 12,740 |
| Vermont | $62K | +3% | 3,080 |
| Nevada | $62K | +3% | 12,700 |
| Maine | $62K | +3% | 5,170 |
| District of Columbia | $62K | +2% | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $62K | +2% | 18,590 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | +2% | 13,880 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +1% | 3,760 |
| Missouri | $61K | +0% | 14,410 |
| Rhode Island | $61K | +0% | 2,580 |
| Ohio | $61K | +0% | 18,450 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -1% | 3,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -2% | 30,630 |
| Delaware | $59K | -2% | 2,250 |
| Montana | $59K | -3% | 4,030 |
| Arizona | $59K | -3% | 16,230 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -4% | 2,360 |
| Iowa | $58K | -5% | 5,770 |
| Kansas | $57K | -6% | 5,210 |
| Wyoming | $57K | -6% | 2,260 |
| Virginia | $56K | -8% | 20,460 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -13% | 8,540 |
| Utah | $52K | -14% | 15,220 |
| Idaho | $52K | -14% | 8,380 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -16% | 8,200 |
| South Carolina | $51K | -16% | 6,950 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -17% | 5,710 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -18% | 8,990 |
| Florida | $50K | -18% | 39,300 |
| Georgia | $49K | -19% | 9,190 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -19% | 13,480 |
| Texas | $49K | -19% | 33,540 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -20% | 3,670 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -20% | 2,950 |
| Alabama | $48K | -20% | 5,560 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -21% | 4,560 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -21% | 4,030 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -23% | 3,820 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Decatur numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Decatur?
Yes — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $961/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for carpenters in Decatur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new carpenters typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,239/month. At HUD’s $961/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is carpenter a high-paying job in Decatur?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $51K here vs. $61K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for carpenters?
Decatur pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — below the national median.
How much do carpenters make in Decatur, AL?
The median is $50,950 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,320, and experienced carpenters can clear $69,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,383/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $961/month, which eats 28.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a carpenters salary go in Decatur?
Decatur has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median carpenters salary is worth about $58,422 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do carpenters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.