Helpers--Carpenters Salary
In Columbia, SC, helpers--carpenters earn $35,850 at the median, or about $17.23 an hour. The range runs from $26K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $38,277 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 52.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). 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 Columbia
Pay for helpers--carpenters in Columbia runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 50.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 helpers--carpenterss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for helpers--carpenters in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $38K | $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, Columbia, SC
Entry-level helpers--carpenters (10th percentile) start around $26K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $19K 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 Columbia numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 50.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/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 Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--carpenters typically earn — is $26K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,550/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 82% 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 Columbia?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $36K here vs. $44K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for helpers--carpenters?
Columbia pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do helpers--carpenters make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $35,850 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,830, and experienced helpers--carpenters can clear $45,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,515/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 50.7% 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 Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 helpers--carpenters salary is worth about $38,277 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.