Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in Florida make a median of $49,870 a year, or about $23.98 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $50,588 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 46.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $50K get you in Florida?
About carpenters
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What this looks like in Florida
Pay for carpenters in Florida runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $61K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 47.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for carpenterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Carpenters salary by metro in Florida
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $52K | +5% | 6,010 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $52K | +4% | 1,870 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $52K | +3% | 10,100 |
| Jacksonville | $51K | +1% | 2,500 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $50K | -0% | 5,360 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $50K | -0% | 400 |
| Naples-Marco Island | $49K | -1% | 1,300 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $49K | -1% | 2,640 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $49K | -2% | 370 |
| Port St. Lucie | $49K | -2% | 1,060 |
| Punta Gorda | $49K | -3% | 340 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $48K | -3% | 360 |
| Gainesville | $48K | -4% | 390 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $48K | -4% | 660 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $48K | -4% | 680 |
| Sebring | $47K | -5% | 90 |
| Wildwood-The Villages | $47K | -5% | 140 |
| Tallahassee | $47K | -6% | 470 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $47K | -6% | 740 |
| Ocala | $47K | -7% | 490 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $46K | -8% | 800 |
| Homosassa Springs | $46K | -8% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
Compare to other states
Track carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 47.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for carpenters in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new carpenters typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,215/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Florida?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $50K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Florida compare to the national average for carpenters?
Florida pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do carpenters make in Florida?
The median is $49,870 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,910, and experienced carpenters can clear $69,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,509/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 47.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a carpenters salary go in Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $50,588 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.