How much do carpenters make in Colorado in 2026?

The median carpenter salary in Colorado is $62,830 per year, which works out to $30.21 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the number sitting right in the middle of what Colorado carpenters actually earn — half make more, half make less. If you're sizing up a job offer or negotiating a raise, that's your anchor.

The bottom quarter of Colorado carpenters — the 25th percentile — earns $51,940 per year, or about $24.97 per hour. Workers at this level are typically newer to the trade, still building their skill set, or working in lower-wage regions of the state. It's a livable wage, but there's real room to grow from here with experience and specialization.

The top quarter of earners — the 75th percentile — pulls in $74,430 per year, roughly $35.78 per hour. Carpenters at this level usually have years of experience, a specialty such as finish carpentry, formwork, or framing, and a track record that keeps them in demand. The gap between the 25th and 75th percentile is $22,490 per year, which underlines just how much skill level and specialization move the needle in this trade.

Several factors drive where a carpenter lands in that range. Experience is the biggest one — a journeyman with ten years of framing under their belt commands more than someone who finished their apprenticeship last year. Specialization matters too. Finish carpenters who do custom cabinetry, trim, or millwork often earn more than general framing carpenters. Carpenters who can read complex blueprints, supervise crews, or work on commercial and industrial projects rather than residential tend to sit closer to the 75th percentile.

Geography within Colorado also plays a role. The Denver metro area, Boulder, and resort construction markets like Vail and Telluride have persistent demand for skilled carpenters, and that demand pushes wages up. Rural parts of the state see less project volume and, in some areas, lower pay.

Colorado's construction sector has stayed active across residential, commercial, and infrastructure work, which keeps demand for carpenters steady. That means a skilled carpenter in this state generally doesn't have to look hard for work, though project type and employer size still affect the final number on a paycheck.

No union scale data was available for carpenters in Colorado at the time of publication. If you're working under a union agreement, your actual rate will be set by your local's collective bargaining agreement and may differ from the BLS figures shown here.

All figures on this page come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. These are employer-reported wage data covering workers across Colorado, not self-reported estimates.