Carpenters pay in California
$78,810avg. a year
$37.89 an hour · 100,750 employed
Carpenters in California earn an average of $78,810 a year. That is $13,180 (20%) more than the U.S. average of $65,630. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $89,630.
$75,920Median pay
$37.89Average hourly
+21%Avg. pay since 2020
#6Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for carpenters by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
114,010 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$89,630
$43.09 an hour
24,460 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$87,930
$42.28 an hour
3650 jobs
Napa, CA
$86,890
$41.78 an hour
42,150 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$83,430
$40.11 an hour
5660 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$80,420
$38.66 an hour
6820 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$80,200
$38.56 an hour
730,600 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$78,600
$37.79 an hour
8700 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$78,270
$37.63 an hour
9220 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$77,830
$37.42 an hour
108,710 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$77,240
$37.14 an hour
112,050 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$75,890
$36.49 an hour
12110 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$75,380
$36.24 an hour
131,430 jobs
Modesto, CA
$74,640
$35.89 an hour
141,100 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$74,380
$35.76 an hour
1512,970 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$73,520
$35.35 an hour
169,730 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$73,480
$35.33 an hour
171,260 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$73,330
$35.26 an hour
18350 jobs
Merced, CA
$72,930
$35.06 an hour
19310 jobs
Redding, CA
$72,730
$34.97 an hour
20390 jobs
Chico, CA
$72,380
$34.80 an hour
211,210 jobs
Salinas, CA
$72,380
$34.80 an hour
22140 jobs
El Centro, CA
$72,270
$34.74 an hour
231,100 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$71,400
$34.33 an hour
241,790 jobs
Fresno, CA
$71,030
$34.15 an hour
25650 jobs
Visalia, CA
$68,800
$33.08 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Carpenters pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California carpenters work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $55k$55k–$62k$62k–$69k$69k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $65,630 | $31.55 |
| California | $78,810 | $37.89 |
| Oregon | $70,880 | $34.08 |
| Nevada | $69,250 | $33.29 |
| Arizona | $58,980 | $28.36 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do carpenters make in California?
The average is $78,810 a year, and the median is $75,920. That is $13,180 (20%) more than the U.S. average of $65,630.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$37.89 an hour on average; the median is $36.50.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($89,630), followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($87,930). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($68,800).
How does California rank?
California ranks #6 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 47-2031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national carpenters page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.