What apprenticeships are available for carpenters in Maine?

In Maine, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Maine Apprenticeship Program, 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 Maine (2026)

Q: How much do carpenters earn in Maine?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), carpenters in Maine earned a median annual wage of approximately $62,160. Employment concentration in Maine is about 1.87 times the national average for this occupation.

Q: What is the job outlook for carpenters in Maine?

Maine currently employs approximately 5,170 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 Maine?

Under the Davis-Bacon Act, carpenters on federally funded construction projects in Maine earn a prevailing wage of approximately $19.77 per hour in base pay plus $3.38 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $23.15 (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, Davis-Bacon wage determinations, 2026).

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Maine carpenters earn a median annual wage of $62,160 ($29.88/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 5,170 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 2.6% above the national median of $60,580 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $62,160 ($29.88/hr)
25th percentile: $52,960 per year
75th percentile: $72,800 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $78,240 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $47,130 per year
Workers employed in Maine: 5,170
Versus national median: 2.6% above the U.S. median of $60,580
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.87 - this occupation is more concentrated in Maine than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Maine employs about 5,170 carpenters earning a median $62,160 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most carpenters train through a trade school program or a registered apprenticeship before entering the field in Maine.

Compare Carpenter Schools in Maine

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	North Bennet Street School	65.8	Contact school for pricing	$57,182	90%	—	98 mi
2	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	65.4	$8,772 in-state / $12,762 out-of-state	$56,927	45%	Yes*	255 mi
3	Johnson College	61.2	$21,225	$51,602	55%	—	314 mi
4	Burlington County Institute of Technology-Adult Education	61.2	Contact school for pricing	Not reported	84%	—	344 mi
5	Orleans Technical College	60.4	Contact school for pricing	$48,804	90%	—	347 mi
6	Ocean County Vocational-Technical School	59.5	Contact school for pricing	$42,510	65%	—	325 mi
7	Mohawk Valley Community College	55.3	$6,218 in-state / $8,851 out-of-state	$45,913	38%	Yes*	252 mi
8	Hudson County Community College	38.8	$5,384 in-state / $9,248 out-of-state	$44,020	26%	Yes*	281 mi
9	Lehigh Career & Technical Institute	Not rated	Contact school for pricing	Not reported	Not reported	—	343 mi
10	Triangle Tech Inc-Bethlehem	Not rated	Contact school for pricing	$55,189	77%	—	336 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location 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.

Maine employs approximately 5,170 carpenters according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $62,160 ¹. The state’s concentration of carpenter jobs is 1.87x the national average, indicating strong demand. 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 Maine, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
Median wage (Maine): $62,160 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Carpenter in Maine

How to become a Carpenter in Maine? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for carpenters in Maine.

How long does it take? 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 do carpenters earn in Maine? The median annual wage for carpenters in Maine is $62,160 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $47,130 and experienced professionals can earn $78,240 or more ¹.

How to Become a Carpenter in Maine

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Maine training programs and registered apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete a training program or apprenticeship. Enroll in an approved trade school program or a registered apprenticeship in Maine that combines classroom instruction with supervised hands-on hours.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to carpenters in Maine before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Carpenter Apprenticeship Information in Maine

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. Maine’s apprenticeship program is administered by the Maine Apprenticeship Program ³.

Contact Information:

Office: Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment Services
Address: 55 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0055
Phone: (207) 623-7969
Email: [email protected]

Federal Prevailing Wage in Maine

Under the Davis-Bacon Act, carpenters working on federally funded construction projects in Maine earn a prevailing wage set by the U.S. Department of Labor. Recent Maine general wage determinations show approximately $19.77 per hour in base pay plus $3.38 per hour in fringe benefits, for an effective hourly rate of about $23.15 (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.

Carpenter Wages by Metro Area in Maine

Carpenters Wages by Metro Area in Maine

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Portland-South Portland	2,230	$64,300	$66,600	$50,480	$79,020
Bangor	430	$57,100	$56,560	$39,000	$72,640
Lewiston-Auburn	280	$60,950	$59,530	$45,540	$74,560

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 .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for carpenters in Maine? Maine currently employs approximately 5,170 carpenters ¹. Nationally, carpenter employment is projected to grow 4.5% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Maine? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Maine. You can also contact the Maine Apprenticeship Program for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do carpenters earn in Maine compared to the national average? The median annual wage for carpenters in Maine is $62,160, which is $2,850 above the national median of $59,310 according to BLS data ¹.

In Maine

Best Trade Schools in Maine (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Maine

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/ ↩︎ ↩︎
Maine Apprenticeship Program: https://joblink.maine.gov/ada/r/search/jobs?keywords=apprentice ↩︎
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)