Carpenter Salary in Tennessee

$24/hr

Explore carpenter earnings, career-level wage ranges, major-paying industries, licensing requirements, and practical career questions in Tennessee.

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What Carpenters Earn in Tennessee

Carpenters construct, install, and repair structural frameworks, fixtures, and finished woodwork for residential, commercial, and other construction projects. In Tennessee, carpenters typically earn about $18.01 to $31.95 per hour, corresponding to approximately $37,460 to $66,450 annually. Earnings vary with experience, location, specialization, employer, and project type.

Hourly rates by level in Tennessee

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$18.01–$22.36/hr
▲ 2.65% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$22.36–$26.80/hr
▲ 2.65% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$26.80–$31.95/hr
▲ 2.65% 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
Tennessee · Day Shift
Base rate$24.58
+ Qualified Rigger & Signalperson$0.50
+ Forklift Operator$0.50
+ Scaffold User$0.50
Effective hourly$26.08
Straight · 40 hrs$1,043
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$313
Weekly gross$1,356
Annualised · 50 weeks
$67,808
8 OT hrs/week · Tennessee

Who pays the most in Tennessee

The following are national carpenter-specific industry benchmarks because comparable Tennessee industry wage figures are not consistently published. Actual Tennessee pay can vary by employer, project, and location.

01 / 03$30.66/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Carpenters may work on commercial buildings, institutional projects, structural framing, and larger construction sites.

+ Larger project environments
+ Specialized structural work
– Strict scheduling
– Detailed site coordination
02 / 03$29.27/hr

Building Finishing Contractors

Finish-focused work can include interior installations, trim, remodeling, and detailed carpentry where accuracy is important.

+ Detailed finish work
+ Specialization opportunities
– Tight project deadlines
– Precision requirements
03 / 03$29.13/hr

Residential Building Construction

Residential construction offers carpenters opportunities in framing, remodeling, installation, and other home-building activities.

+ Residential project variety
+ Framing opportunities
– Weather exposure
– Project-based schedules

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
Qualified Rigger & Signalperson+$0.50$1,040$794 weeks
Forklift Operator+$0.50$1,040$1005 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.25$520$59.996 weeks
Scaffold User+$0.50$1,040$1257 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.50$1,040$159.998 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $24.44/hr.

40 hr week
$978
No OT
50 hr week
$1,344
+$18,330/yr
60 hr week
$1,711
+$36,660/yr
70 hr week
$2,077
+$54,990/yr

Questions workers ask

Does Tennessee require a carpenter license?▾
Tennessee does not have a general employee carpenter license. However, contractors must be licensed before contracting, bidding, or negotiating certain projects valued at $25,000 or more. Tennessee recognizes BC-2 Carpentry, Framing and Millwork as a contractor classification.
Does a home improvement carpenter need a contractor license?▾
A Tennessee Home Improvement license applies to residential remodeling projects from $3,000 to $24,999 in counties that have adopted the applicable law. The current listed counties include Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, and Shelby. This is a contractor requirement, not a general employee carpenter license.
Can a carpenter work independently in Tennessee?▾
Yes, but licensing depends on the work and contract value. A contractor license is required for covered projects at $25,000 or more, while home improvement licensing can apply to qualifying residential projects in participating counties. Tennessee contractor licensing also involves business and law requirements and applicable trade classifications.

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Wage figures use the latest CareerOneStop/BLS data for Carpenters (SOC 47-2031), with annual figures based on 2,080 hours.

Last updated October 22, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.