Select a program of interest to explore trade schools that match your goals.
Compare accredited Carpenter schools across New Jersey below, then review pay, licensing steps, and training paths for the trade.
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We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
| # | School | BOC Score (0–100) | Tuition | Median grad earnings (all majors) | Graduation rate | Online | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlington County Institute of Technology-Adult Education | 61.2 | Contact school for pricing | Not reported | Not reported | — | In-state |
| 2 | Ocean County Vocational-Technical School | 59.5 | Contact school for pricing | $42,510 | 68% | — | In-state |
| 3 | Hudson County Community College | 38.8 | Contact school for pricing | $44,020 | 24% | Yes* | In-state |
Schools closest to the main population center in New Jersey are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the main population center in New Jersey is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.
| School | Median graduate earnings |
|---|---|
| Hudson County Community College | $44,020 |
| Ocean County Vocational-Technical School | $42,510 |
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State median annual wage | $64,010 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| State employment | 14,230 workers | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| State location quotient | 0.77 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| State unemployment rate | 4.8% | BLS LAUS (2024) |
| Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage | $116.67/hr ($57.42 base + $59.25 fringe) | DOL Wage and Hour Division, 2026 |
The cities below have the highest concentration of carpenter training programs and population centers within New Jersey. Click through for school listings near each:
In New Jersey, registered apprenticeships are coordinated through the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development - Registered Apprenticeship (CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor). Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with related classroom instruction, typically over 3 to 5 years.
Carpenters construct, install, and repair building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials.
In New Jersey, the BLS reports a median annual wage of $64,010, about 14,230 workers in the occupation, a location quotient of 0.77 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Career outlook varies by region and specialization. Refer to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook for national projections and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for the latest state and metropolitan area data.
In New Jersey, Carpenter programs train for an occupation with a median wage of about $64,010 per year, and most earn between $43,680 and $121,490 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New Jersey employs roughly 14,230 workers in this occupation, a workforce concentration of about 0.77 times the national average (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Trade-relevant schools serving New Jersey include Burlington County Institute of Technology-Adult Education, Ocean County Vocational-Technical School, and Hudson County Community College. Compare tuition, program length, and graduation outcomes in the table above (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Licensing for Carpenter varies by state and locality. Confirm current training, exam, and credential requirements with the appropriate New Jersey licensing board before you enroll; many employers also look for recognized industry certifications.
Training paths typically range from certificate programs (6 to 12 months) and associate degrees (about 2 years) to registered apprenticeships (3 to 5 years) that combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction (TradeCareerPath program data).
Carpenter training in New Jersey is offered through trade school certificate programs (typically 6 to 12 months), community college associate degree programs (about 2 years), and registered apprenticeships that combine paid on-the-job training with related classroom instruction over 3 to 5 years. Coursework generally covers safety, applicable codes and standards, hands-on lab work, and exam preparation for any required credential.
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), carpenters in New Jersey earned a median annual wage of approximately $64,010. Pay varies with experience, certification, and employer; the 10th to 90th percentile range was approximately $43,680 to $121,490 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing for carpenter work is handled at the state level in New Jersey. Consult New Jersey's licensing board for current training, examination, and renewal requirements before enrolling in a program.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
