Carpenters salary in Washington, DC
Median pay for carpenters in Washington, DC: $58,580/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $40,700 – $79,250 · about 10,450 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($49,990) by +$8,590 (+17%).
What it's really worth in Washington
With Washington's cost of living at 110 (US=100), that $58,580 has the buying power of about $53,477 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $119,803 · median home $583,013 · median rent $2,416/mo.
How Washington ranks for this job
On raw pay, Washington, DC is 59th of the 187 metros we hold carpenters wages for. Once Washington's cost of living is applied, it ranks 91st.
The headline number flatters Washington. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, carpenters here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Washington
A median home in Washington, DC costs $583,013 — about 10× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,416/mo works out at 49% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where carpenters earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Washington.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Washington | Rent vs Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $90,030 | +54% | 1.2× |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $80,260 | +37% | 1.1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $79,730 | +36% | 1.3× |
| San Jose, CA | $75,600 | +29% | 1.5× |
Who hires carpenters around Washington
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- U.S. Department of Defense · Government
Other jobs in Washington
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.