Framer Salary in California

$37/hr

Read California carpenter wage ranges alongside framing duties, paid hours and national sector figures when comparing employment offers.

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What Framers Earn in California

California carpenter employees earn $22.83–$57.67/hr across the range shown here, with published annual wages of $47,490–$119,950 a year. These figures include framers within the broader carpenter occupation. They exclude premium pay and benefits. For a framing offer, connect the hourly range with the work expected, from marking wall plates to coordinating floor, wall and roof assembly. Ask who pays for required tools and how site moves affect hours.

Hourly rates by level in California

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

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$22.83–$28.72/hr
▲ 1.47% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$28.72–$46.07/hr
▲ 1.47% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$46.07–$57.67/hr
▲ 1.47% from last year

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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 Framer
California · Day Shift
Base rate$37.39
+ Southwest Carpenters Training Fund Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$5.44
+ Carpenters Training Committee for Northern California Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$3.51
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.84
Effective hourly$47.18
Straight · 40 hrs$1,887
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$566
Weekly gross$2,454
Annualised · 50 weeks
$122,681
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

These national carpenter medians cover three industries employing framing crews. Ask California employers about the actual structures, schedules and paid duties behind each offer.

01 / 03$30.66/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building employers coordinate framing with other trades. Ask about drawing revisions, delivery windows and responsibility for correcting openings before handover. For work with a California building contractor, discuss whether the role also includes formwork or finish carpentry.

+ Larger structures
+ Trade coordination
– Delivery constraints
– Revision pressure
02 / 03$29.13/hr

Residential Building Construction

House builders need floor, wall and roof assembly. Compare expected paid hours across new homes, additions and remodeling assignments locally. Ask which framing systems you will use and how the crew handles work between building stages.

+ Housebuilding experience
+ Varied layouts
– Weather interruptions
– Changing sites
03 / 03$28.27/hr

Structural and Exterior Contractors

Specialist framing firms sit within this broader structural and exterior group. Discuss sheathing, truss placement and the boundary of each package. When a California framing subcontractor makes an offer, ask about paid preparation and movement between its projects.

+ Framing focus
+ Defined packages
– Sequence delays
– Outdoor exposure

Which states pay framers 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. 01Californiathis page$36.50/hr
  2. 02Virginia$26.77/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
Southwest Carpenters Training Fund Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$5.44$11,315$00 weeks
Carpenters Training Committee for Northern California Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$3.51$7,301$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$2.52$5,242$1592 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.84$1,747$592 weeks
Fall Protection Competent Person+$0.67$1,394$1496 weeks
Aerial/Scissor Lift (MEWP) Operator+$0.21$437$598 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $36.50/hr.

40 hr week
$1,460
No OT
50 hr week
$2,008
+$27,375/yr
60 hr week
$2,555
+$54,750/yr
70 hr week
$3,103
+$82,125/yr

Questions workers ask

Who supplies tools on a framing crew?▾
Your employer does, unless you earn at least twice the state minimum wage. California's Wage Order 16 then allows employees to provide hand tools customarily required by the trade. Ask which tools the job requires before starting.
If I'm paid per square foot, are rest breaks paid separately?▾
Yes. Labor Code Section 226.2, explained in DIR's piece-rate guidance, requires pay for rest and recovery periods separate from piece-rate earnings. Other nonproductive time under the employer's control must be paid at least minimum wage.
When does overtime apply to framing employees?▾
The Labor Commissioner's overtime rules generally require it after eight daily or 40 weekly hours. Qualifying schedules and collective agreements have exceptions. Keep daily records of required setup, assembly and cleanup, then review the employer's overtime treatment against those records.

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Current BLS California employee wages for Carpenters, SOC 47-2031; carpenters broadly, including framers, excluding premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.