Cut, shape, and assemble wood and other materials to build and repair structures, frames, and fixtures.
You may also see this posted as: Cabinet Maker, Form Carpenter, Scaffold Builder, Bridge Carpenter, Concrete Carpenter, Construction Carpenter.
Construction sites and workshops; indoors and out, often standing and lifting.
Full-time; work can be seasonal and weather-dependent.
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
Artistic
creating, designing, performing, or working without a rigid script
O*NET job zone 2 of 5
Some preparation—often a high school credential and on-the-job learning—is usually needed.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
BLS estimates 26.8% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
High school / no degree
Training path: 3–4 year paid apprenticeship.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: Apprenticeship.
No license required in most places; apprenticeship builds the skills employers want.
You can earn while you train. This field has a genuinely paid pathway in — an apprenticeship, a paid academy, or employer-funded training — so you draw a paycheck instead of taking on debt to learn it.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
The broadest trade — framing to finish work, and a path to contractor.
Run the Reality Check — build the life you want and see the salary it takes, then compare it to this one.
Browse verified internships, fellowships, and programs — many paid — that lead into fields like this.
Free resume templates, interview practice, and getting-hired guides in the Careers kit.
Standard Occupational Classification 47-2031. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.