Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in Georgia make a median of $49,350 a year, or about $23.72 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $53,706 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 42.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Georgia?
About carpenters
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Georgia
Pay for carpenters in Georgia runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $61K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 43.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for carpenterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Carpenters salary by metro in Georgia
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta-Richmond County | $59K | +19% | 830 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $51K | +3% | 6,380 |
| Warner Robins | $47K | -5% | 180 |
| Gainesville | $46K | -6% | 180 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $45K | -9% | 80 |
| Columbus | $45K | -9% | 140 |
| Savannah | $45K | -9% | 330 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $45K | -9% | 100 |
| Dalton | $43K | -13% | 40 |
| Rome | $42K | -15% | 40 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $42K | -16% | 70 |
| Albany | $38K | -22% | 80 |
| Valdosta | $38K | -23% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
Compare to other states
Track carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 43.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for carpenters in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new carpenters typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,093/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 69% 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 Georgia?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $49K here vs. $61K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for carpenters?
Georgia pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do carpenters make in Georgia?
The median is $49,350 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,890, and experienced carpenters can clear $63,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,286/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 43.6% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $53,706 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.