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Carpenters Salary in California

What Carpenters earn in California, labor market by labor market, and what is left after taxes and living costs in 14 counties.

Average in CA
$76,344
local median wages, weighted
Rank among states
1 of 24
published states
Workers in state
99,480
BLS employment estimate
Wage areas
5
14 counties

Pay by labor market in California

Carpenters pay by wage area in California
Wage areaMedian wageTake-home payMargin per yearLargest county
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$89,200$67,129$30,038Alameda County, CA
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$75,740$58,907$20,472Los Angeles County, CA
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$74,440$58,096$26,969Sacramento County, CA
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$73,200$57,323$19,692San Diego County, CA
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$70,880$55,877$25,805Riverside County, CA

Counties ranked by what is left after the basics

Carpenters in California counties, by yearly margin
#CountyMedian wageTake-home payMargin per year
1Alameda County, CA$89,200$67,129$30,038
2Contra Costa County, CA$89,200$67,129$30,038
3Yolo County, CA$74,440$58,096$28,445
4Sacramento County, CA$74,440$58,096$26,969
5Placer County, CA$74,440$58,096$26,969
6El Dorado County, CA$74,440$58,096$26,969
7Riverside County, CA$70,880$55,877$25,805
8San Bernardino County, CA$70,880$55,877$25,805
9San Francisco County, CA$89,200$67,129$21,482
10San Mateo County, CA$89,200$67,129$21,482
11Marin County, CA$89,200$67,129$21,482
12Los Angeles County, CA$75,740$58,907$20,472
13San Diego County, CA$73,200$57,323$19,692
14Orange County, CA$75,740$58,907$17,976

Carpenters pay in California

The employment-weighted average of local median wages for Carpenters in California is $76,344, based on 99,480 workers. Among the 24 states with published data, that ranks number 1. The BLS national median for the occupation is $60,580, so California averages 26.0% above it.

Inside California, pay depends on the labor market. The highest local median is $89,200 in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area and the lowest is $70,880 in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, a difference of $18,320 across 5 wage areas.

Cost of living for Carpenters in California

We compare 14 California counties after federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes and the four basics: a one-bedroom rental, food, home energy and gasoline. Alameda County, CA leaves the largest yearly margin, $30,038. Orange County, CA leaves the smallest, $17,976. The median wage covers all four basics in 14 of the 14 counties.

Carpenters in other states

The states with the highest average local median wages for Carpenters are Illinois ($75,086), New Hampshire ($73,034), Washington ($72,119) and Massachusetts ($71,675).

Frequently asked questions: Carpenters in California

How much do Carpenters earn in California?

The employment-weighted average of local median wages is $76,344, from $70,880 to $89,200 depending on the labor market.

Which California county is best for Carpenters?

Alameda County, CA leaves the largest yearly margin after taxes and the four basics ($30,038). Contra Costa County, CA follows at $30,038.