How much does a carpenter charge per hour in District of Columbia?
Typical carpenter rate, District of Columbia
$73/hr
Most carpenters in District of Columbia charge $67 to $89 an hour. A full 8-hour day runs about $584.
Updated October 2026 · Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
How we got $73
| Median carpenter wage in District of Columbia | $29.67 |
|---|---|
| × 1.4 payroll taxes, workers' comp, insurance | $41.54 |
| ÷ 0.8 for hours nobody gets billed (driving, supply runs, estimates) | $51.92 |
| × 1.4 overhead (truck, tools, office) and profit | $72.69 |
| Typical rate | $73/hr |
What carpenters earn in District of Columbia
| Pay level | Wage | Charges about |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $23.00 | $56/hr |
| 25th percentile | $27.48 | $67/hr |
| Median (middle) | $29.67 | $73/hr |
| 75th percentile | $36.18 | $89/hr |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $38.81 | $95/hr |
1,540 carpenters work in District of Columbia. The middle earner makes $61,710 a year. Wages are from the BLS Carpenters category.
How District of Columbia compares
District of Columbia carpenters earn 2% above the U.S., ranking #18 of 51 states for carpenter pay (#1 pays the most). The typical U.S. rate is $71 an hour.
| State | Typical | Most charge |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $74/hr | $62 to $90 |
| District of Columbia | $73/hr | $67 to $89 |
| Delaware | $70/hr | $57 to $89 |
| Virginia | $66/hr | $55 to $72 |
| South Carolina | $60/hr | $51 to $74 |
| Florida | $59/hr | $52 to $71 |
| Georgia | $58/hr | $50 to $69 |
| North Carolina | $58/hr | $50 to $69 |
| West Virginia | $57/hr | $45 to $71 |
| United States | $71/hr | $57 to $91 |
What drives carpenter prices
Carpentry runs from rough framing to finish trim. Finish and cabinet carpenters usually charge toward the top of the range, while framing crews often price by the square foot instead of the hour.
Common questions
How much does a carpenter charge per hour in District of Columbia?
Most carpenters in District of Columbia charge between $67 and $89 an hour, and about $73 is typical. A full 8-hour day runs about $584. These are estimates built from what carpenters earn in District of Columbia (a median of $29.67 an hour, BLS May 2025), not quotes.
Why do carpenters charge so much more than they earn?
The wage is only part of the cost. On top of $29.67 an hour, the employer pays payroll taxes, workers' comp and insurance (about $41.54 in total), loses paid hours to driving, supply runs and estimates that nobody is billed for (about $51.92 per billed hour), and has to cover the truck, tools, office and a profit. That's how $29.67 becomes about $73.
What's the lowest rate a carpenter in District of Columbia can charge without losing money?
About $52 an hour for a carpenter paid the District of Columbia median. That covers pay, payroll taxes, insurance and unbilled time, but nothing for the truck, tools, office or profit, so a rate below it loses money on every hour.
Other trades in District of Columbia
Rates are BidFlow estimates, not quotes. Each starts with the May 2025 wage from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, then multiplies by 1.4 for payroll taxes and insurance, divides by 0.8 for hours that can't be billed, and multiplies by 1.4 for overhead and profit. Updated October 2026. How we calculate
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