Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in North Carolina make a median of $49,100 a year, or about $23.61 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $52,989 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 37.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in North Carolina?
About carpenters
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for carpenters in North Carolina 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 $1,284/month, which is 39.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, North Carolina
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Carpenters salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $52K | +5% | 520 |
| Asheville | $51K | +4% | 750 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $51K | +4% | 3,730 |
| Wilmington | $51K | +4% | 640 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $51K | +4% | 2,680 |
| Winston-Salem | $50K | +2% | 510 |
| Goldsboro | $50K | +2% | 60 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $50K | +2% | 760 |
| Burlington | $49K | +0% | 100 |
| Jacksonville | $49K | -0% | 140 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $48K | -2% | 250 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $48K | -3% | 90 |
| Rocky Mount | $47K | -3% | 140 |
| Fayetteville | $47K | -5% | 280 |
| Greenville | $47K | -5% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
Track carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 39.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new carpenters typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,137/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 North Carolina?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $49K here vs. $61K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for carpenters?
North Carolina pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do carpenters make in North Carolina?
The median is $49,100 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,620, and experienced carpenters can clear $63,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,273/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 39.2% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $52,989 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.