Helpers--Carpenters Salary
In Charleston-North Charleston, SC, helpers--carpenters earn $37,870 at the median, or about $18.21 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $37,510 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,787/month, about 69.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). 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 helpers--carpenters
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What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Pay for helpers--carpenters in Charleston-North Charleston runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,787/month, which is 67.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) 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 helpers--carpenterss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for helpers--carpenters in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $36K | $38K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $45K | $45K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $44K | $45K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $37K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level helpers--carpenters (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Helpers--Carpenters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Helpers--Carpenters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $58K | +33% | N/A |
| Colorado | $51K | +16% | 200 |
| Connecticut | $50K | +15% | 200 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | +15% | N/A |
| Maine | $50K | +14% | 160 |
| California | $50K | +14% | 2,670 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +10% | 630 |
| New York | $48K | +9% | 1,110 |
| Arkansas | $47K | +7% | 100 |
| Washington | $46K | +5% | 620 |
| Illinois | $46K | +4% | N/A |
| Michigan | $45K | +3% | 230 |
| Ohio | $45K | +2% | 540 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +2% | N/A |
| Vermont | $45K | +2% | 200 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +1% | 840 |
| Texas | $44K | +0% | 2,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | +0% | 560 |
| Virginia | $44K | -0% | 1,200 |
| Oregon | $43K | -1% | 220 |
| Indiana | $43K | -2% | 160 |
| Montana | $43K | -3% | N/A |
| Idaho | $42K | -4% | N/A |
| Arizona | $42K | -5% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $41K | -7% | 860 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -7% | 650 |
| Florida | $40K | -8% | 2,120 |
| Georgia | $40K | -8% | 410 |
| Iowa | $40K | -9% | 100 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -9% | 440 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -9% | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $39K | -10% | 150 |
| Maryland | $39K | -10% | 580 |
| Alaska | $39K | -10% | 90 |
| Alabama | $39K | -11% | 410 |
| Kansas | $38K | -13% | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -13% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -15% | 50 |
| Nevada | $36K | -17% | 540 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -18% | 200 |
| Utah | $36K | -18% | 330 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -19% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $35K | -19% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $35K | -21% | 330 |
| Delaware | $34K | -23% | 190 |
| West Virginia | $34K | -23% | 320 |
| Missouri | $32K | -26% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track helpers--carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston-North Charleston numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 67.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for helpers--carpenters in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--carpenters typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,647/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 109% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is helpers--carpenter a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $38K here vs. $44K nationally.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for helpers--carpenters?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do helpers--carpenters make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $37,870 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,450, and experienced helpers--carpenters can clear $47,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,639/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 67.7% 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 helpers--carpenters salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median helpers--carpenters salary is worth about $37,510 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do helpers--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.