Helpers--Carpenters Salary
In Louisiana, helpers--carpenters earn $40,900 at the median, or about $19.66 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $52K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $46,861 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 42.7% 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 $41K get you in Louisiana?
About helpers--carpenters
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Helpers--carpenters pay in Louisiana tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 42.4% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level helpers--carpenters (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $52K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Helpers--Carpenters salary by metro in Louisiana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $48K | +17% | 300 |
| Lake Charles | $47K | +14% | 50 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $44K | +8% | 240 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $32K | -23% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track helpers--carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 42.4% 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 $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 Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--carpenters typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,360/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 88% 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 Louisiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for helpers--carpenters?
Louisiana pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do helpers--carpenters make in Louisiana?
The median is $40,900 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,660, and experienced helpers--carpenters can clear $52,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,806/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 42.4% 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 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 helpers--carpenters salary is worth about $46,861 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.