Helpers--Carpenters Salary
In Texas, helpers--carpenters earn $43,950 at the median, or about $21.13 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $48,038 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 44.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Texas?
About helpers--carpenters
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What this looks like in Texas
Helpers--carpenters pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 45.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level helpers--carpenters (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Helpers--Carpenters salary by metro in Texas
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $48K | +10% | 90 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $46K | +4% | 220 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $45K | +1% | 740 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $44K | -0% | 530 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $42K | -4% | 110 |
| Waco | $41K | -7% | 40 |
| El Paso | $29K | -34% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track helpers--carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 45.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--carpenters typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,709/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 83% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for helpers--carpenters?
Texas pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do helpers--carpenters make in Texas?
The median is $43,950 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,490, and experienced helpers--carpenters can clear $56,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,113/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 45.5% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $48,038 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.