Helpers--Carpenters earn a median of $43,780 per year ($21.05/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 1.7% through 2035, with about 2,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 47-3012
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Helpers--Carpenter in four numbers
- Median pay
- $43,780a year, or $21.05/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $32KTop 10% $58K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -1.7%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−1.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −1.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,00021,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202521.9K
- Projected 203521.5K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 21.9K Projected 2035 21.5K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Carpenter Apprentice, Carpenter Assistant, Carpenter Helper.
Pay
How much do Helpers--Carpenters make?
Every helpers--carpenter in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$43,780
Middle half earn $36,730 to $49,400
- 10th
- $31,660
- 25th
- $36,730
- 75th
- $49,400
- 90th
- $57,670
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $31,660 |
| 25th | $36,730 |
| Median | $43,780 |
| 75th | $49,400 |
| 90th | $57,670 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $43,780
- Median hourly wage
- $21.05/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $44,050
- People employed
- 21,680
Versus all US occupations
At $43,780, Helpers--Carpenters earn 14% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,200 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 27% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $57,670 or more while the bottom 10% earn $31,660, a gap of 1.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 10% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Hampshire pays the most at $58,090, and still leads at $55,767 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Helpers--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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Hampshire | $58,090 | $55,767 | N/A |
| 2Colorado | $50,900 | $49,393 | 200 |
| 3Connecticut | $50,460 | $48,702 | 200 |
| 4Rhode Island | $50,300 | $49,179 | N/A |
| 5Maine | $50,100 | $51,623 | 160 |
| 6California | $49,890 | $45,060 | 2,670 |
| 7Massachusetts | $48,130 | $45,510 | 630 |
| 8New York | $47,740 | $44,236 | 1,110 |
| 9Arkansas | $46,800 | $53,832 | 100 |
| 10Washington | $46,060 | $43,041 | 620 |
Job outlook
Is Helpers--Carpenter a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -1.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Helpers--Carpenters | −1.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Helpers--Carpenters to change -1.7% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 400 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,000 openings are projected each year, 9.1% of the 21,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of construction laborers and helpers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of construction laborers and helpers varies by occupation (see table).
Construction laborers work in all fields of construction, and demand for laborers should mirror the level of overall construction activity. Repairing and replacing the nation’s infrastructure, such as the power grid, roads, and water lines, is expected to result in steady demand for laborers.
Getting in
How to become a Helpers--Carpenter
Construction laborers and helpers learn on the job. Formal education is not typically required, but some employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a high school diploma or the equivalent.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Helpers--Carpenter do?
Help carpenters by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
Construction laborers and helpers perform tasks, such as using, supplying, or holding materials or tools and cleaning work areas and equipment, on construction sites.
Day-to-day tasks
- Clean work areas, machines, or equipment, to maintain a clean and safe job site.
- Select tools, equipment, or materials from storage and transport items to work site.
- Position and hold timbers, lumber, or paneling in place for fastening or cutting.
- Fasten timbers or lumber with glue, screws, pegs, or nails and install hardware.
- Cut timbers, lumber, or paneling to specified dimensions.
- Hold plumb bobs, sighting rods, or other equipment to aid in establishing reference points and lines.
- Drill holes in timbers or lumber.
- Align, straighten, plumb, or square forms for installation.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most construction laborers and helpers work full time, and work schedules may vary. Laborers and helpers on highway and bridge projects may need to work overnight to avoid causing traffic disruptions. In some parts of the country, construction laborers and helpers may work only during certain seasons. For example, in northern climates, cold weather frequently limits construction activity in the winter.
Some construction laborers are self-employed. In contrast, few helpers are self-employed.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
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
NoneConstantFace-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 lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. 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 Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Active Learning2.9
- Mathematics2.4
- Writing2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Mathematics | 2.4 |
| Writing | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Equipment Selection2.9
- Operations Monitoring2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Repairing2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Equipment Selection | 2.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Repairing | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD 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 a Helpers--Carpenter?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Helpers--Carpenter |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| 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.
- Realistic6.9
- Conventional3.5
- Social2.1
- Enterprising1.6
- Artistic1.4
- Investigative1.3
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 Helpers--Carpenter
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
Helpers--Brickmason, Blockmason, Stonemason, and Tile and Marble Setter
$47,550median a year
Most earn $36K to $70K
−11.7%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
Helpers--Painter, Paperhanger, Plasterer, and Stucco Mason
$40,470median a year
Most earn $31K to $52K
+1.5%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
Helpers--Pipelayer, Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter
$42,360median a year
Most earn $34K to $58K
+2.4%High school - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Worker
$39,630median a year
Most earn $29K to $56K
+5.3%High school - Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with helpers--carpenters highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
- Helpers--Carpenter$43,780
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
| Helpers--Carpenter | $43,780 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Helpers--Carpenter appears on
Questions
Helpers--Carpenter: frequently asked questions
How much do Helpers--Carpenters make?
Helpers--Carpenters earn a median of $43,780 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 14% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $21.05/hr. The middle half earn between $36,730 and $49,400. The top 10% earn $57,670 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Helpers--Carpenter?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Helpers--Carpenters, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Helpers--Carpenter a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 1.7% over 2025–2035, a loss of 400 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Helpers--Carpenter do?
Construction laborers and helpers perform tasks, such as using, supplying, or holding materials or tools and cleaning work areas and equipment, on construction sites. A core O*NET task: clean work areas, machines, or equipment, to maintain a clean and safe job site. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Customer relationship management CRM software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Helpers--Carpenters the most?
The highest state medians for Helpers--Carpenters are New Hampshire ($58,090), Colorado ($50,900), Connecticut ($50,460) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Helpers--Carpenter?
O*NET scores Helpers--Carpenters highest on the Realistic and Conventional 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 that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.