Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in Eau Claire, WI make a median of $59,090 a year, or about $28.41 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.8), which stretches that salary to about $63,675 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,181/month, about 30.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Eau Claire?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Eau Claire’s Regional Price Parity (92.8). 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 Eau Claire
Carpenters pay in Eau Claire tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,181/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.8 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for carpenters in metros near Eau Claire, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $64K | $66K |
| Madison | $63K | $65K |
| Green Bay | $60K | $65K |
| Appleton | $62K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Eau Claire, WI
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $43K 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
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Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Eau Claire?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,181/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for carpenters in Eau Claire?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new carpenters typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,506/month. At HUD’s $1,181/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Eau Claire?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Eau Claire compare to the national average for carpenters?
Eau Claire pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do carpenters make in Eau Claire, WI?
The median is $59,090 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,770, and experienced carpenters can clear $84,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Eau Claire?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,953/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,181/month, which eats 29.9% 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 Eau Claire?
Eau Claire has a Regional Price Parity of 92.8 (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 $63,675 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.