Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in Louisiana make a median of $49,920 a year, or about $24 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $57,195 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 35% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $50K get you in Louisiana?
About carpenters
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for carpenters in Louisiana 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 $1,191/month, which is 35.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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, Louisiana
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Carpenters salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $56K | +11% | 3,490 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $50K | +0% | 1,390 |
| Monroe | $48K | -3% | 360 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $48K | -3% | 450 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $48K | -3% | 400 |
| Lafayette | $47K | -5% | 580 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $47K | -6% | 480 |
| Alexandria | $47K | -6% | 180 |
| Lake Charles | $46K | -8% | 630 |
| Hammond | $45K | -9% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 35.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/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 Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new carpenters typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,046/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $50K here vs. $61K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for carpenters?
Louisiana pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do carpenters make in Louisiana?
The median is $49,920 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,100, and experienced carpenters can clear $69,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,384/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 35.2% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $57,195 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.