Carpenter Salary in Mississippi

$23/hr

Discover Mississippi carpenter hourly rates, annual salaries, credentials, and construction sectors that can affect earning potential.

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What carpenters earn in Mississippi

Carpenters in Mississippi construct, install, repair, and finish building structures, frameworks, fixtures, and other wood components. Based on the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics latest data, Mississippi carpenters earn approximately $16.67 to $30.50 per hour, with a median of $23.39 per hour. That corresponds to annual wages of about $34,670 to $63,440, with a median of $48,650. Actual pay can differ based on experience, location, specialty, employer, and the type of construction work performed. Mississippi also publishes wage information for metropolitan areas and workforce regions, allowing pay levels to vary across the state.

Hourly rates by level in Mississippi

Rates typically increase with experience, skills, and responsibility.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$16.67–$20/hr
▲ 5.41% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$20–$27/hr
▲ 5.41% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$27–$30.50/hr
▲ 5.41% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Carpenter
Mississippi · Day Shift
Base rate$23.50
+ Mississippi Lead Renovator$0.75
+ NCCER Carpentry Level 1$0.75
+ NCCER Core Credential$2.00
Effective hourly$27.00
Straight · 40 hrs$1,080
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$324
Weekly gross$1,404
Annualised · 50 weeks
$70,200
8 OT hrs/week · Mississippi

Who pays the most in Mississippi

Commercial, specialty, and covered projects can offer different pay opportunities.

01 / 06$30.66/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Large commercial and institutional projects often require structural framing, interior installation, and detailed finish work.

+ Larger project scopes
+ Specialized construction skills
– Strict site requirements
– Project deadlines
02 / 06$329.28/hr

Building Finishing Contractors

Carpenters in finishing work handle detailed installations, trim, doors, fixtures, and other final construction elements.

+ Specialized finish skills
+ Detail-focused work
– Precision requirements
– Physically demanding tasks
03 / 06$29.13/hr

Residential Building Construction

Residential carpenters work on new homes and housing projects, covering framing, installation, and other structural construction tasks.

+ Consistent residential projects
+ Broad carpentry experience
– Outdoor working conditions
– Project-based schedules
04 / 06$28.26/hr

Foundation, Structure & Exterior Contractors

This sector includes structural framing, exterior construction, and other work forming the core structure of buildings.

+ Structural carpentry experience
+ Large construction projects
– Heavy physical work
– Weather exposure
05 / 06$28.77/hr

Other Specialty Trade Contractors

Specialty contractors may employ carpenters for focused construction tasks requiring specific installation or trade skills.

+ Specialized project opportunities
+ Skill development
– Narrower job scope
– Varying project schedules
06 / 06$27.72/hr

Heavy & Civil Engineering Construction

Carpenters may support infrastructure projects through concrete forms, temporary structures, and specialized construction work.

+ Infrastructure experience
+ Specialized formwork skills
– Outdoor conditions
– Travel may be required

Which states pay carpenters the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Hawaii$41/hr
  2. 02Illinois$37.98/hr
  3. 03California$36.50/hr
  4. 04Massachusetts$36.16/hr
  5. 05Alaska$35.51/hr
  6. 06New York$34.77/hr
  7. 07Minnesota$31.22/hr
  8. 08Connecticut$30.80/hr
  9. 09New Jersey$30.77/hr
  10. 10Maryland$30.27/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
NCCER Carpentry Level 1+$0.75$1,560$1906 weeks
NCCER Carpentry Level 2+$1$2,080$1905 weeks
Scaffold User/Competent Person (OSHA-aligned)+$1$2,080$2105 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.25$520$859 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.50$1,040$1709 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $23.39/hr.

40 hr week
$936
No OT
50 hr week
$1,286
+$17,543/yr
60 hr week
$1,637
+$35,085/yr
70 hr week
$1,988
+$52,628/yr

Questions workers ask

Does a Mississippi carpenter need a state license?▾
A carpenter working as an employee does not automatically need a personal carpenter license. Mississippi's State Board of Contractors regulates contractor licensing, including residential builder and remodeler licenses.
Does Mississippi require OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 for carpenters?▾
OSHA does not require its Outreach 10- or 30-hour courses nationally. They are voluntary training programs, although employers or specific jurisdictions may require them for certain jobs.
Can a carpenter use a residential builder license to work independently?▾
A residential builder license is a contractor credential rather than a general employee credential. Requirements depend on the type and scope of contracting work being performed.
Are Mississippi prevailing wage rates the same across the state?▾
No. Federal Davis-Bacon wage determinations can vary by county, construction type, and worker classification, so a covered project's carpenter rate may differ from another Mississippi project.
What affects carpenter pay in different parts of Mississippi?▾
Location, experience, construction specialty, employer, project type, and whether a project is covered by a prevailing-wage determination can all affect the compensation a carpenter receives.

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These career-level ranges are guide ranges mapped to BLS wage percentiles, not separately published BLS rates for apprentice, journeyman, and senior carpenters.

Last updated September 30, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.