Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in Decatur, IL make a median of $87,220 a year, or about $41.93 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.42), which stretches that salary to about $98,643 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,063/month, or 19.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $87K get you in Decatur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (88.42). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Decatur
Decatur sits well above the national pay line for carpenters, local pay runs about 44% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,063/month, 19.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.42 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Decatur offers a genuinely strong financial position for carpenterss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for carpenters in metros near Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $80K | $78K |
| Rockford | $73K | $79K |
| Peoria | $75K | $83K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $67K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Decatur, IL
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $68K 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 $87K, rent takes 19.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,063/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 $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,003/month. At HUD’s $1,063/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 is 44% above the national median — $87K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for carpenters?
Decatur pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do carpenters make in Decatur, IL?
The median is $87,220 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,050, and experienced carpenters can clear $118,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,452/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,063/month, which eats 19.5% 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 88.42 (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 $98,643 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.