Assesses and remodels homes with grab bars, ramps, curbless showers, wider doors and better lighting so older adults can stay living safely at home. BLS does not publish separate figures for carpenters; it counts them within carpenter (SOC 47-2031), whose median pay is $60,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 47-2031
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Aging-in-Place Specialist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $60,580a year, or $29.12/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $40KTop 10% $100K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.9%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 62,800889,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025889.7K
- Projected 2035924.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 889.7K Projected 2035 924.7K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school17.7%
- High school52.4%
- Certificate21.5%
- Some college8.4%
Highest education held by carpenters Segment Value Less than high school 17.7% High school 52.4% Certificate 21.5% Some college 8.4%
Also advertised as: Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, CAPS Remodeler, Home Modification Specialist, Accessible Home Remodeler, Universal Design Remodeler.
Pay
How much do Carpenters make?
Every aging-in-place specialist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$60,580
Middle half earn $48,510 to $76,830
- 10th
- $40,410
- 25th
- $48,510
- 75th
- $76,830
- 90th
- $99,910
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $40,410 |
| 25th | $48,510 |
| Median | $60,580 |
| 75th | $76,830 |
| 90th | $99,910 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $60,580
- Median hourly wage
- $29.12/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $65,630
- People employed
- 670,090
Versus all US occupations
At $60,580, Carpenters earn 19% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $9,600 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
The median is typical for the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $99,910 or more while the bottom 10% earn $40,410, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 33% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Hawaii posts the highest raw median ($85,280), but once local prices are taken into account Illinois leads at $79,033 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Carpenters the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii | $85,280 | $77,562 | 4,810 |
| 2Illinois | $79,000 | $79,033 | 19,570 |
| 3California | $75,920 | $68,569 | 100,750 |
| 4Massachusetts | $75,200 | $71,106 | 18,540 |
| 5Washington | $74,190 | $69,328 | 26,960 |
| 6Alaska | $73,860 | $72,158 | 2,560 |
| 7New York | $72,330 | $67,021 | 40,630 |
| 8Minnesota | $64,930 | $65,838 | 14,930 |
| 9Connecticut | $64,060 | $61,828 | 5,160 |
| 10New Jersey | $64,010 | $58,830 | 14,230 |
Job outlook
Is Aging-in-Place Specialist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Carpenters | +3.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Carpenters to change 3.9% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 35,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 62,800 openings are projected each year, 7.1% of the 889,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Aging-in-Place Specialist
Most specialists are remodelers, carpenters or general contractors who add the specialty, though some are designers, occupational therapists or home inspectors. Contractor licensing rules depend on the state.
The National Association of Home Builders offers the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist designation, developed with AARP, which covers the needs of older adults, home modification techniques and business practices. Universal design training from schools and the ADA standards for accessible design are useful background. People typically build skills on general remodeling crews before specializing, and many grow their business through referrals from therapists, home care agencies and senior centers.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Apprenticeship
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as carpenters.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)52.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate21.5%
- Less than a High School Diploma17.7%
- Some College Courses8.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 52.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 21.5% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 17.7% |
| Some College Courses | 8.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Aging-in-Place Specialist do?
Aging-in-place specialists adapt homes so older adults and people with disabilities can keep living in them safely. They walk through a house looking for fall risks and barriers: steps at the entrance, tubs that are hard to climb into, narrow doorways, poor lighting, high shelves and slippery floors. Then they design and carry out changes, from small fixes like grab bars and lever handles to major work like ramps, stair lifts, first-floor bedrooms and curbless showers.
The job is part construction and part listening. Specialists talk with homeowners and families about health conditions, budgets and what daily life looks like, and they often work with occupational therapists who assess the person's abilities. Many also help clients find funding through programs for veterans and older adults.
Day-to-day tasks
- Assess homes for fall risks and accessibility barriers
- Talk with clients and families about health needs and goals
- Design modifications such as ramps, curbless showers and wider doors
- Install grab bars, railings, lever handles and better lighting
- Coordinate with occupational therapists on client abilities
- Prepare estimates and help clients find funding programs
- Manage subcontractors for plumbing and electrical work
- Check finished work for safety and usability
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Work takes place in clients' homes, with physical tasks such as lifting, kneeling and working in tight bathrooms. Specialists often run small businesses, balancing hands-on work with estimates, design and client meetings. Hours are mostly daytime weekdays.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.4
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Monitoring3.4
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Mathematics3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Writing2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination3.3
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Operations Monitoring2.9
- Operation and Control2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Operation and Control | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Information retrieval or search software
- Internet browser software
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Aging-in-Place Specialist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RSE) built on O*NET's Carpenter profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Aging-in-Place Specialist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.8
- Conventional3.5
- Social3.2
- Enterprising2.9
- Artistic2.2
- Investigative1.9
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Aging-in-Place Specialist
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer
$58,930median a year
Most earn $38K to $102K
+2.5%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
- Production
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with carpenters highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Aging-in-Place Specialist$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Aging-in-Place Specialist | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Aging-in-Place Specialist appears on
Questions
Aging-in-Place Specialist: frequently asked questions
How much do Carpenters make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for carpenters. It counts them within carpenter, whose median pay is $60,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $48,510 and $76,830, and the top 10% earn $99,910 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Aging-in-Place Specialist?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Carpenters. BLS also lists apprenticeship as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 52.4% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Aging-in-Place Specialist a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.9% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 62,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Aging-in-Place Specialist do?
Aging-in-place specialists adapt homes so older adults and people with disabilities can keep living in them safely. A typical task: assess homes for fall risks and accessibility barriers. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Carpenters the most?
The highest state medians for Carpenters are Hawaii ($85,280), Illinois ($79,000), California ($75,920) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Illinois moves to the top at $79,033.
What personality type suits an Aging-in-Place Specialist?
O*NET scores Carpenters highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.