"How long does it take to become a carpenter in Arizona?"

"Most paths into the carpenter field take 1 to 5 years, depending on whether you complete a trade school program, a registered apprenticeship, or a combination of both."

"What apprenticeships are available for carpenters in Arizona?"

"In Arizona, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Arizona Department of Economic Security - Registered Apprenticeship, which works with employers and trade union locals to register programs. See the apprenticeship section above for office contact details."

How to Become A Carpenter in Arizona

Q: "How much do carpenters earn in Arizona?"

"According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), carpenters in Arizona earned a median annual wage of approximately $58,580. Employment concentration in Arizona is about 1.16 times the national average for this occupation."

Q: "What is the job outlook for carpenters in Arizona?"

"Arizona currently employs approximately 16,230 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4.5% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034."

Q: "What is the federal prevailing wage for carpenters in Arizona?"

"Under the Davis-Bacon Act, carpenters on federally funded construction projects in Arizona earn a prevailing wage of approximately $18.42 per hour in base pay plus $1.46 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $19.88 (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, Davis-Bacon wage determinations, 2026)."

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Arizona employs approximately 16,230 carpenters according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $58,580 ¹. Nationally, carpenter employment is projected to grow 4.5% from 2024 to 2034, with about 74,100 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a carpenter in Arizona, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

Quick Answers About Becoming A Carpenter in Arizona

How do I become a carpenter in Arizona? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for carpenters in Arizona.

How long does it take? Most paths take 1 to 5 years depending on whether you choose trade school, an apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

What do carpenters earn in Arizona? The median annual wage for carpenters in Arizona is $58,580 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $38,830 and experienced professionals can earn $75,950 or more ¹.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
Median wage (Arizona): $58,580 per year ¹

Carpenter Apprenticeship Information in Arizona

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. Arizona’s apprenticeship program is administered by the Arizona Department of Economic Security - Registered Apprenticeship ³.

Contact Information:

Office: Arizona Apprenticeship Office Department of Economic Security
Address: 1789 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (602) 542-6013
Email: [email protected]

Carpenter Wages by Metro Area in Arizona

Carpenters Wages by Metro Area in Arizona

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025 OES data), carpenters wages in Arizona vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler	12,710	$60,320	$60,380	$39,820	$77,790
Tucson	1,380	$49,110	$53,970	$37,660	$72,290
Prescott Valley-Prescott	440	$56,570	$56,950	$39,810	$77,960
Lake Havasu City-Kingman	330	$46,980	$54,120	$36,850	$68,910
Flagstaff	280	$55,970	$57,790	$40,720	$75,130
Yuma	260	$47,910	$48,880	$36,260	$62,250
Sierra Vista-Douglas	150	$43,910	$47,030	$34,820	$61,600

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Top Metros for Carpenters in Arizona

The metropolitan areas listed below report the highest carpenter employment within Arizona according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025).

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler	12,710	$60,320
Tucson	1,380	$49,110
Prescott Valley-Prescott	440	$56,570
Lake Havasu City-Kingman	330	$46,980
Flagstaff	280	$55,970

Explore carpenter programs in Phoenix, Tucson, and Prescott Valley.

Federal Prevailing Wage in Arizona

Under the Davis-Bacon Act, carpenters working on federally funded construction projects in Arizona earn a prevailing wage set by the U.S. Department of Labor. Recent Arizona general wage determinations show approximately $18.42 per hour in base pay plus $1.46 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $19.88 (Source: DOL Wage and Hour Division, Davis-Bacon wage determinations, 2026) ⁴.

Prevailing wages apply to federal construction contracts above the Davis-Bacon threshold and may differ from typical private-sector pay reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rates also vary by county and by classification within carpenter work.

Explore More Trades in Arizona

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for carpenters in Arizona? Arizona currently employs approximately 16,230 carpenters ¹. Nationally, carpenter employment is projected to grow 4.5% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Arizona? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for accredited programs in Arizona. You can also contact the Arizona Department of Economic Security - Registered Apprenticeship for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do carpenters earn in Arizona compared to the national average? The median annual wage for carpenters in Arizona is $58,580, which is $730 below the national median of $59,310 according to BLS data ¹.

Citations

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/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
Arizona Department of Economic Security - Registered Apprenticeship: https://des.az.gov/sites/default/files/Registered-Apprenticeship-Program-List.pdf ↩︎
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division - Davis-Bacon General Wage Determinations: https://sam.gov/wage-determinations ↩︎

Data sources

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)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)