Helpers--Carpenters Salary
In Pittsburgh, PA, helpers--carpenters earn $42,210 at the median, or about $20.29 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $44,586 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,299/month, about 44.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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 Pittsburgh
Helpers--carpenters pay in Pittsburgh tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,299/month, which is 45% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for helpers--carpenters in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $45K | $48K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $41K | $40K |
| Lancaster | $39K | $39K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $44K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level helpers--carpenters (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $56K 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 |
| Vermont | $45K | +2% | 200 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +2% | N/A |
| 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 with published data
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 Pittsburgh numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 45% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for helpers--carpenters in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--carpenters typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,188/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for helpers--carpenters?
Pittsburgh pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do helpers--carpenters make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $42,210 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,470, and experienced helpers--carpenters can clear $56,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,888/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 45% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $44,586 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.