Carpenter.
Washington DC.
$76,000
median salary, 29% above the national average
$62,000 to $98,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
Washington DC is 25% more expensive than the national average. For Carpenters, that shakes out to a median of $76,000, with the full range spanning $62,000 to $98,000. Finish carpenters specializing in custom cabinetry, trim, and millwork earn 15 to 25% more than rough framing carpenters. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Carpenter in Washington DC, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $60,800 for Carpenters (SOC 47-2031) in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, based on 13,280 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$47,150
25th percentile
$55,380
Median
$60,800
75th percentile
$73,970
90th percentile
$90,590
Workers surveyed
13,280
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $76,000 is 25% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Carpenters covers a different population than the Carpenter title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Carpenters (SOC 47-2031) rather than Carpenter specifically. The Washington DC range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 47-2031Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $69,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$49,000
to $61,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$65,000
to $80,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$84,000
to $99,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$95,000
to $118,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $22,000 to the total package.
Base
$76,000
Equity
$12,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $98,000
How Washington DC compares.
Washington DC, DC
$76,000
Cost of living: 25% above average
National Average
$59,000
Washington DC is $17,000 above
Carpenter salary by city.
Salary by role in Washington DC.
What you should know.
Here is what the Carpenter market actually looks like in Washington DC. Washington DC's job market is shaped by the federal government, defense contractors, and a growing commercial tech sector. Cybersecurity, cloud computing, and consulting firms drive demand for cleared professionals. The region's stability, combined with high government pay scales, creates a salary floor that pulls private sector compensation upward. Finish carpenters specializing in custom cabinetry, trim, and millwork earn 15 to 25% more than rough framing carpenters. Union membership in metropolitan areas provides the strongest hourly rate floors. Carpenters with concrete formwork expertise for commercial high-rise projects command premium rates due to the physical demands and precision required.
Carpenter apprentices start at $30,000 to $36,000 during their three to four year training period. Journeyman carpenters earn $42,000 to $58,000, while foremen and lead carpenters reach $60,000 to $78,000. General contractors with carpentry backgrounds often earn $85,000 to $130,000 running their own operations. In Washington DC, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 25% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Union carpenters receive benefits packages worth $12,000 to $20,000 annually including health insurance, pension, and training funds. Overtime on commercial projects adds $5,000 to $12,000 per year, with prevailing wage jobs offering the best hourly rates. And on the tax side: dC income tax rates reach 10.75% for high earners. Maryland and Virginia residents working in DC face their own state taxes. Choose your residence jurisdiction carefully to optimize net pay. When someone quotes you $76,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: A security clearance is your strongest negotiation asset. Cleared professionals in DC command 20 to 30% premiums, and transferring your clearance to a new employer saves them significant time and cost. The range for Carpenters in Washington DC runs from $62,000 to $98,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
Carpenter salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Washington DC.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Carpenter Salary in Washington DC, DC." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/carpenter/washington-dc
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