How much does a carpenter charge per hour in Washington?
Typical carpenter rate, Washington
$87/hr
Most carpenters in Washington charge $71 to $109 an hour. A full 8-hour day runs about $696.
Updated October 2026 · Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
How we got $87
| Median carpenter wage in Washington | $35.67 |
|---|---|
| × 1.4 payroll taxes, workers' comp, insurance | $49.94 |
| ÷ 0.8 for hours nobody gets billed (driving, supply runs, estimates) | $62.42 |
| × 1.4 overhead (truck, tools, office) and profit | $87.39 |
| Typical rate | $87/hr |
What carpenters earn in Washington
| Pay level | Wage | Charges about |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (10th percentile) | $25.16 | $62/hr |
| 25th percentile | $29.15 | $71/hr |
| Median (middle) | $35.67 | $87/hr |
| 75th percentile | $44.55 | $109/hr |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $57.65 | $141/hr |
26,960 carpenters work in Washington. The middle earner makes $74,190 a year. Wages are from the BLS Carpenters category.
How Washington compares
Washington carpenters earn 22% above the U.S., ranking #5 of 51 states for carpenter pay (#1 pays the most). The typical U.S. rate is $71 an hour.
| State | Typical | Most charge |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $100/hr | $78 to $131 |
| California | $89/hr | $70 to $113 |
| Washington | $87/hr | $71 to $109 |
| Alaska | $87/hr | $70 to $111 |
| Oregon | $74/hr | $59 to $110 |
| 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 Washington?
Most carpenters in Washington charge between $71 and $109 an hour, and about $87 is typical. A full 8-hour day runs about $696. These are estimates built from what carpenters earn in Washington (a median of $35.67 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 $35.67 an hour, the employer pays payroll taxes, workers' comp and insurance (about $49.94 in total), loses paid hours to driving, supply runs and estimates that nobody is billed for (about $62.42 per billed hour), and has to cover the truck, tools, office and a profit. That's how $35.67 becomes about $87.
What's the lowest rate a carpenter in Washington can charge without losing money?
About $62 an hour for a carpenter paid the Washington 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 Washington
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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